(Source: Bernama)
Imagine falling in love with farming during Covid, and then turning that spark into a full-blown chilli empire in your hometown in Teluk Intan. That’s exactly what 29‑year‑old A Srinath, an IT graduate from Universiti Tenaga Nasional did.
In a recent interview with Bernama, Srinath shared that when MCO struck, he and his brother started nurturing over 400 polybags of red chillies using a clever fertigation system, a smart setup that delivers liquid fertiliser through irrigation. To their surprise, the chilli plants thrived.
From an office job in Subang Jaya to farming in Teluk Intan
Once MCO ended, he returned to his office job in Subang Jaya but couldn't shake how much joy he felt on the farm. A heartfelt conversation with his parents led Srinath to make a bold move. After 3 years as a software engineer in an office in Subang Jaya, he resigned, returned home, and fully committed to cultivating chillies.
"After the work-from-home period ended, I returned to Subang Jaya to resume working in the office, but I found great enjoyment in being a farmer. I discussed with my parents about planting red chillies on a larger scale, and decided to resign after 3 years of working as an engineer and returned here to grow chillies", he told Bernama.
(Source: Bernama)
With about RM50,000 saved, Srinath built a storage facility and bought essential gear such as polybags, pipes, water pumps to scale his chilli operation. He didn’t rely on guesswork either. He attended courses organised by the Perak Department of Agriculture where he learned everything from seedling germination to fertigation techniques.
He makes RM40,000-RM50,000
Fast forward to today, and his farm spans a leased 0.68‑hectare plot with over 2,500 'Kulai 461' red chilli polybags tended by him and 3 workers. Each season, his harvest fetches roughly RM40,000 to RM50,000 and yields about 5 tonnes. His red chillies are snapped up by markets and groceries across Teluk Intan and even sold to wholesalers in Selayang priced between RM6 and RM11 per kg.
Challenges persist, from stubborn pests to fickle diseases, but deep down Srinath finds immense satisfaction in every part of the journey. He even grows a small batch of cucumbers on the side. And the ambition is far from over. He dreams of expanding operations even further and hopes to continue deepening his impact right where it all began… back home in Perak.
"I enjoy and feel satisfied working on this fertigation chilli farm. I am also growing cucumbers on a small scale. I have long term plans to expand this chilli farming on a larger scale, and of course I want to continue this in my hometown here," he said.
(Source: Bernama)
His story reminds us that sometimes the path to fulfillment lies not behind a screen, but under the sun, tending to growth… literally and figuratively.
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