Customers can visit and pluck their salads and mustards at the farm. — Bernama photos
Zairald takes a closer look at the vegetables.
KUCHING: With advancement of new technology almost anything is possible.
Hence, it is not surprising that salads that are commonly found in cold, highland areas are able to thrive in hot weather not far from this city.
Using the ‘nutrient film technique’ (NFT) hydroponic system technology, three friends are now enjoying the benefits from a 30 x 35 square metre plot which has been developed into a greenhouse and planted with various types of salads and highland vegetables.
The Farmia developed by Saiful Bahri Ahmad Adibi, 42, together with Zairald Zainal Bong, 38 and Muhammad Syukran Wahab, 23 which is located at Kampung Sungai Lumut, Buntal near here, came about after three years of research and development on the NFT which had long been implemented in Cameron Highlands, Pahang.
“We made slight modifications to the NFT system to adapt to the hot climate in the lowlands through the development of a greenhouse built in March at a cost of about RM150,000,” Saiful Bahri told Bernama recently.
According to him, The Famia now has 10,000 pots placed on 26 tables which were planted with four types of salads – green lettuce, red lettuce, basil and romaine, a type of lettuce similar to the Chinese cabbage and five types of mustard plants.
“Each type of salad and mustard plant can be harvested within 30 days and each table can produce up to 60 kilogrammes.
“Currently, we are marketing the salads and vegetables at four supermarkets around Kuching,” he said.
In addition, The Farmia holds an open day to give the public the opportunity to visit and pluck their salads and mustards at the farm.
“Each pot of salad weighing 20-150 grams and mustards weighing 150 grams are sold at RM1 which is definitely cheaper than the price which we sell to the supermarkets. Most of the salads found in Sarawak markets are from Cameron Highlands and they are sold at premium prices.
“With the opening of this farm we have the alternative to plant them in the state and sell them to customers at a bargain,” he said.
According to him the hydroponic vegetables in their farm were 100 per cent pesticide-free, thereby offering fresh, clean and healthy farm produce which were guaranteed halal.
Asked on the public response to The Famia open day, Saiful Bahri said so far the programme had been held three times and at each event over 70 kilogrammes of salad and vegetables were sold. — Bernama
Bahri checks the hydroponic vegetables in the farm.