Strategic Plan for Coffee Trade in Champasak Province, Lao PDR.

Abstract

The purposes of the current study were 1) to study problems and needs of coffee trade in Champasak Province, Lao PDR, 2) to analyze environmental condition of coffee trade industry in Champasak Province, Lao PDR, and 3) to develop a strategic plan for coffee trade in Champasak Province, Loa PDR. The data was collected from the samples of 57 coffee trade entrepreneurs. The research instruments were a set of questionnaire and qualitative data analysis.
The repetition of problems and needs was analyzed by the methods of SWOT analysis and SWOT Matrix. The study was divided into 3 phases. The results of the studies were as follow. In phase 1, the purpose of the study was to study problems and needs of coffee trade in Champasak Province, Lao PDR. It was found that 4 aspects of problems and needs were found including manufacturing, quality improvement, distribution, and economic environment. The result of the study indicated that inconvenience and unsafe transportation was found as the most frequently found problems in the manufacturing aspect; the risk in uncertain price of coffee in international market as stakeholders must be in troubles when the price become low was found in the distribution aspect; cost of export and shipment was found in the economic environment aspect. In terms of needs, it was found that government support in providing academic
knowledge was found in the manufacturing aspect; improvement of transportation was found in the quality improvement; existence of price guarantee standard was found in the distribution aspect; and support of export and shipment was found in the economic environment aspect. The result of the analysis of economic environment of coffee trade in Chanpasak province with the value chain analysis method indicated 4 issues related to strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and treats which were analysis of environmental opportunities, analysis of weaknesses of organization, analysis of treats, and analysis of strengths respectively. Phase 2 aimed to develop a strategic plan for coffee trade in Champasak Province and to analyze environmental condition of coffee trade industry in Champasak Province, Loa PDR by organizing a brain storming workshop to gather qualitative data with SWOT analysis and SWOT matrix. The target group consisted of experts, scholars, and accomplices in total number of 15. The result of the study indicated that the developed strategic plan consisted of 4 sub-strategies of 17 measures and 82 implementations including strategies for contributing Champasak province to be the center of coffee trade (4 measures, 19 implementations), strategies in revision and improve related policies (6 measures, 22 implementations), strategies in contributing stability and advantages in coffee trade (5 measures, 30 implementations), and strategies in reduction of foreign dependence (2 measure, 11 implementations). In phase 3, the developed strategic plan were qualitatively evaluated by 9 experts. The results of the study could be concluded that 4 sub-strategies of 17 measures and 82 implementations were evaluated to be practicable and suggested to be implement further. Recommendation
1. 9 experts recommended to implement the strategic plan for coffee trade in Champasak province, Lao PDR for the greatest benefits. 2. 9 experts recommended to implement the strategic plan for coffee trade in Champasak province, Lao PDR in the related units in provincial, ministerial, and national level. Keywords : Strategic Plan for Coffee