“WHEN you can make some money doing what you love, you can be one of the few to say “life is beautiful”, says mushroom farmer Ooi Pei Ning, 25.
Saturday, 21 Oct 2017
Seeds of ambition: (From right) Ooi briefing Chong, Penang MCA chairman Datuk Tan Teik Cheng and MCA National Social Welfare Bureau deputy chief Lim Swee Bok about her farming project.
During her university days, Ooi researched mushrooms.
She earned a degree in agricultural science, found a passion for growing edible fungi, and then the reality of making a living nudged her to get a job as an office administrator.
But her dream to be a mushroom entrepreneur lives on.
Every seven to 10 days, she harvests about 200kg of oyster mushrooms and sells them wholesale to market traders, vegetarian restaurants, friends and neighbours.
“I learnt so much about fungi cultivation on campus so this is my dream come true. It’s not hard work. I enjoy going to my barn at night after work to check on the mushrooms,” said the Universiti Malaysia Sabah graduate.
She harvests her mushrooms late into the night and sends them to her retailers early in the morning before she goes to the office so that her customers get truly farm fresh produce.
She said the retail price of oyster mushrooms is between RM12 and RM18 per kilo and she offers attractive ex-farm prices to push off her produce quickly. Expansion plans for the farm are underway.
Ooi has also packaged a DIY oyster mushroom box and wants to sell it as an educational tool.
“This would be for kindergartens and schools. Children are too much into technology and smartphones. I believe they can learn to appreciate nature if they have the chance to grow oyster mushrooms that they can eat,” she said.
Ooi’s lucky break came from Koperasi Petani Muda Malaysia (KPMM), which sponsored 400 mushroom spawning bags in June.
She scaled up so quickly that KPMM chairman Datuk Chong Sin Woon was impressed and dropped by her barn recently to sign a plaque to mark the birth of her startup company, Happy Mushroom Grower Enterprise.
Chong, who is also MCA Youth chief, encouraged youths to get involved in agricultural projects on a part-time basis to increase their income.
KPMM was formed by MCA Youth. Chong said the cooperative will provide technical assistance and guidance on marketing.
For details, call KPMM at 03-220 33866.
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/10/21/when-mushroom-dreams-come-true-office-administrator-by-day-and-farmer-by-night/
Growing mushrooms to boost revenue
Tuesday, 21 Feb 2017
Steady income: (From left) KPMM vice-chairman Datuk Leong Kim Soon, Chong, Agrogembira director Tan Kok Hong, KPMM directors Ling Kah Chok and Datuk Seri Liu Mun Hon holding mushrooms to be given to low-income families.
KUALA LUMPUR: MCA Youth will work with a company to help 20 low-income families grow abalone mushrooms, said its chief Datuk Chong Sin Woon.
He added that the movement’s Koperasi Petani Muda Malaysia (KPMM) would be working with Agrogembira Sdn Bhd in the venture. The firm had pledged 10,000 mushroom spawn bags and would help teach candidates how to grow, cultivate, package and sell them.
Chong, who is KPMM chairman, said the mushrooms could sell for up to RM12 a kg and demand had increased drastically in the past decade.
“In 2000, our export of abalone mushroom was only RM12mil but it rose to RM67mil in 2010. Domestic demand is expected to increase to RM300mil by 2020.
Chong said the mushrooms in each bag would take between seven and 10 days to mature and can be harvested six to eight times.
“Each cycle will take 45 days and the mushrooms in the 500 bags are expected to be able to generate an income of RM1,750.”
Chong also said that if a family chose to re-invest in another 500 bags of mushrooms (costing RM1,250) after the harvest, it could still make a net profit of RM500 each month.
The project would help supplement the RM300 in welfare funds they received every month.
“We hope more private companies can pledge their support to help poor and low-income families. This plan may help them gain independence instead of having to depend merely on cash aid,” he said.
Businesses interested in supporting the project can contact KPMM via 03-7972 9819 or at KPMMalaysia@gmail.com.
