[ad_1]
DENGKIL (Bernama): Ahmad Irham Mohd Noor was a photographer for a popular newspaper, but he suddenly found himself out of work after the media organization he worked for cut its workforce in March this year.
Rather than wallow in self-pity, the 39-year-old father of two wasted no time and found a new career as an agropreneur.
Starting with 2,000 plastic bags of red chili seedlings and a 0.4ha plot here that he leased for five years, he began growing his crop using the fertigation system, a technique where dissolved fertilizer is supplied to crops through a system. irrigation.
“After my company made the announcement (downsizing exercise), I felt it was the best time to get involved in agriculture, as I have always been interested in it,” Ahmad Irham, who lives in Putrajaya, told Bernama.
Initially, he was nervous about venturing into agriculture as he had neither the experience nor the experience in growing crops.
Admitting that he was concerned about the risks and the possibility of being left with unsold products, he said he also wondered if the income earned would be enough to support his family.
“Also, with the issues posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, there were so many things to look at, including the marketing of my products,” he added.
Eventually he put his fears aside and went ahead with the company using the compensation he received from his former employer as capital.
Back to school
To learn more about the fertigation system, Ahmad Irham attended a series of courses organized by the Department of Agriculture and the Kuala Langat Area Farmers Organization (PPK).
“I learned how to mix fertilizers according to their pH value and to sow seeds in a nursery. I also gained more knowledge about pest control and the necessary equipment for a fertigation system such as pumps and pipes,” he said.
After completing six courses, Ahmad Irham gained the confidence to begin his project.
He said that it is crucial that novice farmers attend these courses so that they have the knowledge necessary to grow high-yielding crops.
Chili choice
Ahmad Irham said that he chose to grow chili peppers due to their high market demand and the fact that they are easier to maintain compared to other vegetables.
Grade A red chili peppers currently fetch a price of up to RM 18 per kilogram, while the grade B variety can be sold for no less than RM 6 per kilogram.
Demand for chili peppers has also exploded this rainy season, according to Ahmad Irham.
“It was very encouraging when I went to deliver the first batch of chili peppers that I harvested. Even before parking my car, the wholesalers rushed to open my trunk to take my stock,” he said with a smile.
Ahmad Irham said he spent around RM 45,000 to purchase the pumps and pipes needed for the fertigation system, as well as to build a shop, a nursery and a bathroom.
The capital was also used to pay utility bills and wages to his workers.
In July he began cleaning and preparing his land for cultivation and fixing the fertigation system. The following month, he began sowing the chili seeds and three months later, in November, the proud farmer harvested his first crop of almost two tons.
He marketed his harvest with the help of Kuala Langat PPK to local wholesalers and restaurants.
“I was satisfied with my work as I was able to follow the cultivation schedule they showed me during one of the courses I attended,” he said, adding that he would have two cultivation cycles a year.
Hot future
Ahmad Irham said that growing chili peppers using the fertigation system generally produces a yield of two kilograms per plastic bag per growing cycle.
“But with proper maintenance and without any pest or insect infestation, yields of up to six kilograms can be obtained,” he added.
On his future plans, Ahmad Irham said he intends to open one or two more farms in Selangor before spreading his wings to his hometown of Machang, Kelantan.
“Having two or three farms will give me a continuous income stream. The only thing is that I have to think of ways to find workers,” he said, adding that his wife Azlimi Ayub @ Abdullah, 39, and their two children Aiman Irfan , 14, and Adam Irsyad, 10, help him out on his farm on weekends and school holidays. – Bernama
[ad_2]
