Former Contractor Finds Sweet Success In Premium Guava Farming

By Nur Afiradina Arshad

TAPAH, May 11 (Bernama) -- Having struggled with financial difficulties as a contractor since 1984, Lee Lee Chong decided to venture into agriculture seven years ago. Although he faced a few setbacks initially, he eventually found success in guava farming, a business that is now generating impressive returns.

“In the contracting business, you are bound by agreements whether you make a profit or not — you still have to carry on. So I thought agriculture might be more suitable for me as it offered a better opportunity to reduce debt risks and achieve faster cash flow as the (projected) monthly sales revenue was around RM80,000 to RM100,000,” said the 64-year-old entrepreneur, adding that success, however, did not come easily.

He said his initial pandan coconut project was destroyed due to rhinoceros beetle infestations, resulting in losses of nearly RM60,000. His attempt to cultivate 10,000 papaya trees also failed because of unsuitable soil conditions.

“Later (in 2019), after meeting an acquaintance from Taiwan, I was introduced to the Pearl guava variety, which stands out for its superior taste and texture that can rival local guava varieties,” he told Bernama during a recent interview at his farm here, which he operates under Erawish Agriculture Sdn Bhd.

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According to Lee, the Pearl guava’s key attractions include its white flesh, crunchy texture, fewer seeds and naturally sweet flavour.

The Perak-born entrepreneur from Bercham said the success of Pearl guava cultivation has also led to the development of several premium varieties, including Lohan, Ruby Pink and Watermelon Pink (Lohan Pink),  all recognised for their crisp texture and premium quality.

Lee, who runs the farm together with three business partners, said the success of their Pearl guava and pineapple cultivation on 40.47 hectares of leased land was made possible through strong support and training provided by government agencies such as the Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board and the Perak State Agricultural Development Corporation (SADC).

“We currently have about 5,000 guava trees of various varieties,” he said, adding, “Our ‘farm-to-market’ approach has contributed positively to fruit production growth, increasing output to between eight and 10 tonnes per week. If this momentum continues, we aim to achieve 15 tonnes per harvest in the future,” he said.

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The father of three added that demand for the guavas has surged, particularly from five-star hotels, premium supermarkets and wholesalers in Kuala Lumpur.

Aspiring to become a leading premium guava supplier nationwide, Lee said Pearl guava cultivation was especially appealing because the fruit is touted as having health benefits that not many people know of, including boosting immunity, improving digestion, regulating blood sugar levels, lowering blood pressure and improving one’s complexion.

He added that his farm, which received RM100,000 in interest-free financing from SADC to strengthen crop production, also focuses on pineapple cultivation, and has received RM250,000 from the Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board to start a night farming project equipped with solar systems and Internet of Things  technology. The system includes temperature, pH and humidity monitoring to enhance crop quality and productivity. The farm currently has 350,000 pineapple plants.

“With strong yields and solid market demand, the farm has now become a pineapple seedling supplier to the Malaysian Pineapple Industry Board and is capable of producing around 15,000 seedlings each month based on industry demand.

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“We also optimise production through a three-tier management system involving the fruit, suckers and agricultural waste, the key components in the pineapple plant management cycle used to maximise yields,” he said.

Although the farm’s current focus remains on fresh fruit sales, Lee also sees significant potential in expanding into downstream products such as guava juice and guava powder health supplements to minimise wastage.

“At present, around one tonne of fruit each week cannot be sold due to minor defects, but these can still be processed into other products to maximise profitability,” he said, adding that rising costs of materials such as plastics and netting — which have nearly doubled — as well as crop disease risks remain among the industry’s biggest challenges.      

-- BERNAMA