Determining the Selection Factors of Thai Rice Products in Chinese Market using Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP)

Abstract

Agricultural and agro-industrial products constitute nearly 25% of Thailand's product exported to China. Among these, rice products rank within the top 5 of Thai agricultural exports to China. Research indicates that the proportion of Thai rice exports to China has experienced a decline, dropping from 37.9 percent of total exports in 1998 to 10.2 percent in 2018. In terms of Thai rice export to China, White rice and Jasmine rice stand out as the prominent varieties. These two varieties collectively account for more 60% and 50% of the total volume of rice exported. The selection factors of Thai rice within the Chinese market have been analyzed through the application of the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). A survey was conducted among ten selected target respondents across Guangdong, Yunnan, Fujian, and Guangxi provinces. The results are ranked with the quality factor as the top priority, followed by the finance and accessibility factors.