NILAI: Two younger males made the daring determination to retire early from the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) and enterprise into farming three years in the past.
Major (Rtd) Mohd Farid Daud, 37, shared that his 10 years of expertise and experience in aviation engineering weren’t in useless as he utilized them successfully to ascertain an built-in farming and livestock-rearing operation in Labu Hilir.
The 6.07-hectare farm, below Temin Legacy Sdn Bhd owned by Mohd Farid, in collaboration together with his pal Captain (Rtd) Ahmad Haziq Mat Hasan, 37, and his brother Mohd Affendy Daud, 43, can produce as much as 200 tonnes yearly, with a possible minimal return of RM600,000.
“We started operations in 2022 with an preliminary capital of RM100,000. Our crops and livestock included bananas, sugarcane, candy pumpkins, Napier grass, kampung chickens and catfish. Most of the preliminary seeds had been procured from suppliers in Banting, Selangor.
“We distribute our produce to Selayang Wholesale Market, Bandar Baru Bangi and Seremban whereas wholesalers additionally go to our farm to acquire these items,“ he mentioned when met on the farm.
The Pahang-born entrepreneur mentioned that his involvement in agriculture is fueled by its important potential for future progress and the need to proceed his household’s legacy within the sector.
“My household has been actively concerned in varied plantations, together with a nursery in Jerantut. The ardour for farming runs in my blood. We beforehand managed a 40.46-hectare plantation there, however upon relocating to Bangi, I opted to ascertain a farm in Negeri Sembilan,“ he mentioned.
Discussing crop upkeep, he defined that routine duties equivalent to weeding, fertilising and pest management are performed periodically, following a schedule to make sure the vegetation stay in good situation.
While acknowledging having suffered losses of virtually RM400,000 on account of challenges posed by pests and wild animals damaging the crops, he mentioned the setback didn’t dampen his willpower to proceed cultivating the land and contributing to the nation’s meals safety.
As for the longer term, Mohd Farid mentioned they intend to discover alternatives to broaden the farming mission on a bigger scale, ranging from 40.46 to 121.4 hectares, and combine using drone know-how into the cultivation course of.
“We additionally intention to market downstream merchandise derived from these agricultural yields domestically and internationally, like China and the United States, throughout the subsequent 5 years,“ he added.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Haziq, a former RMAF Subang pilot, defined that the choice to enterprise into farming was rooted in recognising the untapped potential inside agriculture, particularly contemplating the expansive native market.
He emphasised the significance of younger folks’s involvement, stating that they possess the bodily and psychological energy to achieve the farming trade, guaranteeing the sustainability of meals manufacturing within the nation. – eNM
