This story is about a 30-year-old government servant who quit his stable 9-to-5 job to become a chili farmer in Jerteh, Terengganu.
Who would have guessed that leaving a stable government job could lead to such spicy success?
Meet Abdul Rahman Mohd Noor: A Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) graduate who traded office air-conditioning for sun-soaked fields in his hometown of Jerteh in Terengganu:
What started as a humble farming enterprise in January early this year has reaped a huge harvest: Within just 7-8 months, he has found himself raking in an impressive RM80,000 in gross profit from his crops.
What is Abdul’s secret to such a magnificent yield? The UKM graduate, who turned 30 this year, shares his journey of cultivating cili besar in Kampung Padang Landak, Jertih.
How Abdul started his chili besar farm
After turning down a government job offer in 2022, Abdul made the bold decision to follow his heart, choosing agriculture over a desk job.
“I know farming is riskier than an office job with a fixed salary,” he admitted. “But that hasn’t stopped me from going after my dream of becoming a successful modern farmer.”
With a degree in Resource and Environmental Economics, Abdul Rahman took the leap, and he hasn’t looked back.
Growing up in a family that farmed tobacco, he knew firsthand the challenges of the farmer’s life, which gave him the confidence to venture out on his own with his parents’ blessing.
But it wasn’t just a leap of faith. Abdul Rahman’s journey into agriculture was carefully planned; he even completed a three-year entrepreneurship program by the Department of Agriculture.
“In addition to my Bachelors degree, I had a lot of guidance from my father,” Abdul shared.
Under his father’s tutelage, Abdul started growing large chilies known as Capsicum annuum (chili besar). He chose chilis because chili plants thrive in hot and humid climates with optimal temperatures of between 25°C to 30°C.
Given Malaysia’s tropical climate and fertile soil, it is the most natural choice for these plants to grow big and flourish.
When it comes to tobacco plants, they need slightly lower temperatures of around 20°C to 30°C, which are easier to attain at higher elevations such as in Cameron Highlands.
And since they are grown for their leaves, they are more sensitive to extreme changes in weather, such as during a heatwave.
A heat wave will dry up the leaves very quickly, unless they’re placed in a controlled environment where humidity can be made consistent, like a greenhouse.
Abdul had to learn everything from how to control soil fertility, amount of water and sunlight, and land elevation, to dealing with insect pests, crop diseases, and unforeseen weather changes.
Abdul yields 12 tons of chilis per season
Today, Abdul Rahman proudly tends his three-acre farm, which yields up to 12 tons of chilies per season.
To manage the huge bumper crop, he’s had to hire up to five dedicated workers that work tirelessly to pick the chili crops and pack them to sell to suppliers, who transport them to the markets the next day.
Abdul revealed that he can reach RM80,000 in pure profit within a single season.
“When we choose to work independently, part of the downsides is that we have to bear the risks by ourselves,” he observed.
“But when we achieve success, we can be proud to say that we did it by our own efforts,” He added, “This is so important especially in today’s economic climate.”
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Also read: Why I Left My Comfortable Office Job in Kuala Lumpur to Work on An Island
Why I Left My Comfortable Office Job in Kuala Lumpur to Work on an Island
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