While many of his peers pursued higher education or office jobs after completing their SPM, Muhammad Qayyum Zunkurnain chose a different path — one that involved soil, sweat, and perseverance.
The Department of Agriculture Malaysia recently shared of how the 24-year-old, armed with determination and the agricultural knowledge passed down from his father, made the bold decision to lease 3.2 hectares of land and cultivate papayas and bananas full time.
From small start to big harvest
Initially, Qayyum planted just 1,000 trees, but today his orchard has expanded to 3,000 papaya trees and 4,000 banana plants. Currently, his farm generates an income of up to RM13,000 a month, comparable to the salary of a professional.
“I first sold papayas and bananas on a small scale, but demand quickly exceeded supply. That’s when I decided to grow my own orchard to meet market needs,” he explained.
Qayyum chose papayas not only because of their consistent demand, especially among older Malaysians who value their digestive health benefits, but also because they can be harvested much faster compared to bananas.
“Papayas are relatively easy to grow since we only experience two seasons — hot and rainy. During prolonged rainy seasons, the trees flower more easily. The fruits mature in about six to seven months and can continue bearing fruit for a long time,” he explained.
Despite his success, Qayyum admits his supply still falls short of market demand. Weather challenges, particularly long hot spells, have also affected yields.
Currently, his produce is sold fresh at farmers’ markets in Perak, Penang, and Selangor, catering both to end consumers and small traders.
‘People looked down on farming’
Like many young farmers, Qayyum faced skepticism at first.
There were people who looked down on farming as a career. But now, some youths are even joining me to learn and work at my orchard,” he said.
He attributes much of his progress to support from local agricultural bodies including the Senggang and Manong Area Farmers’ Organization, the Perak Department of Agriculture, and the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA).
Not content with just fresh produce, Qayyum has his eyes set on the next stage of growth: diversifying into papaya- and banana-based downstream products to add more value to his harvests.
“I want to go beyond just planting and selling fruits. By venturing into product development, I can expand my business and create more opportunities,” he added.
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