KUCHING: Farmers in Sarawak should go into pandan coconut production as there is a huge market, both locally and overseas.
One tree can yield about 100 fruits while the price and demand for coconut water, for example, is high.
Businessman and agriculture expert Yong Hua Ying says currently, this crop is recommended due to its price at RM5.50 per coconut.
“It is easy to grow. Coconuts can be grown anywhere like in Lundu (coastal area) and demand is good.
“Currently, there is even a shortage of coconut water products, so go for it,” said Yong, who had recommended sweet corn 30 years ago, which has since become popular among farmers locally.
Bintangor-born Yong, who comes from a farming background, studied agricultural science at Universiti Pertanian Malaysia, and is a main supplier of seeds and fertilizer.
His company is the main importer in seeds, including a wide variety of vegetables such as kangkung, luffa, petola, French beans, brinjals, choi sam, bitter gourd and kai-lan.
He is also well travelled and has business connections in China and Hong Kong, among others.
From time to time, he also brings in experts from Peninsular Malaysia and other countries to give talks on topics such as aquaculture.
Farmers, he said, should make use of alternative crops, which could also supplement their income as they could do the packaging themselves for sale.
Yong, who had also recommended farmers to turn to local corn as chicken feed, said his aim was to help the public, especially during this difficult time of high food prices.
