BUKIT MERTAJAM – A non-government organisation (NGO) that manages Hindu temples and a cemetery has ventured into farming in a bid to generate revenue for the group’s social events and religious activities.
The venture also aims to bring the younger generation’s attention to agriculture.
Penang Indians Welfare and Social Organisation president Balan Nambiar, who is also an entrepreneur, said that it is his long-time dream to venture into the farming industry.
“I am from a farming family, and we planted cash crops some years ago, like okra, chilli, spinach, long bean, tapioca, and cucumber, while living in the village house in Berapit here.
I was waiting for an opportunity to resume farming, and Chief Minister Incorporated (CMI) came to my knowledge. Then I took the first step in approaching CMI,” he said.
Balan said the government-linked company came forward to lend a helping hand to make his dream come true by offering 1.6ha of land in Ara Kuda in Permatang Pauh.
“They have planted ginger and black turmeric. Part of the planting is due for harvesting in mid-January,” he said.
Balan noted that there is “great demand” for ginger in the market, especially ginger from Bentong, Pahang, which he said has “a nice taste”.
“Our seedlings are from Bentong too,” he said.
“We wanted to exploit the potential and demand, as we have ready customers for our agricultural products.
“We predict to harvest more than 80 tonnes of ginger, as it is an all-time seasonal cash crop. We have scheduled the planting and harvesting so that we will have work to do throughout the year.
Nowadays, our youth are only looking for white-collar jobs, but we have to remind them that agricultural products are the basic needs of the human race.
“Naturally, our ancestors were farmers. Today’s generation could introduce modern technology to the agriculture sector,” Balan said.
The NGO is also the operator and caretaker of a 1.6-ha Hindu cemetery located in the former Ladang Penanti Berapit in Jalan Ara Kuda.
They have seven full-time workers and more than 10 volunteers to make this farming dream a reality.
Additionally, agriculture sector-based Rich Soil Plantations Sdn Bhd had invested RM1 million in the said project.
“We are thankful to (Deputy Chief Minister II) P. Ramasamy for his support in obtaining the land from CMI, and to Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow for helping to approve the land for farming.
“We are also thankful to Batu Uban assemblyman A. Kumaresan, our patron, for his advice and for leading us in the right direction.
“We believe our venture into farming would be beneficial to the nation, which is facing the challenge of expensive agricultural products lately due to weather conditions that have caused a shortage of agricultural produce in the country.” – The Vibes, January 5, 2022
