Besut: A bold initiative by residents of Kampung Padang Luas Dalam in Besut to venture into crossbred free-range chicken farming has paid off, generating about RM120,000 in income over the past year.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Kampung Padang Luas Dalam Federal Village Development and Security Committee (JPKKP) chairman Mohd Darus Ismail said the project implemented under the Sejati MADANI initiative had also created employment opportunities for villagers. He stated that the project began in January last year with a RM100,000 grant from the federal government and involved 13 participants, supported by between four and six workers.
Mohd Darus explained that the group chose to rear crossbred free-range chickens after identifying strong market potential for the breed, which remains relatively untapped. The decision was influenced by the success of a breeder in Kampung Tembila and the fact that most Sejati MADANI applicants in the Besut district were involved in fish and goat farming.
The project has now entered its fifth production cycle, with each cycle capable of producing about 2,000 chickens. The chicken coop built by the participants is divided into five sections, each capable of accommodating 400 chickens raised in stages during every cycle. The chickens are reared for about 50 days before being sold at between RM13 and RM14 per kilogramme, generating gross returns of around RM12,000 a month.
Mohd Darus mentioned that the crossbred free-range chickens are supplied to several eateries around Jertih. He also noted that demand has become so strong that participants occasionally source additional chicken supplies from private breeders in the Besut area. Initially, the group faced challenges like marketing difficulties and farm management issues, necessitating Mohd Darus to personally deliver chicken supplies to Kuala Lumpur due to a lack of local customers.
He expressed satisfaction that the chickens are now increasingly sought after by local consumers. The proceeds are used as working capital, for workers' salaries, and part of the profits are channelled back to village management for the benefit of residents, including food aid for those in need. Mohd Darus added that if profits continue to grow, more welfare and community programs could be organized for villagers in the future. The participants are also planning to expand the project by building additional chicken coops to increase production capacity and meet growing market demand.