The initial venture of three single mothers from Kampung Tempinis in Besut, Terengganu, into stevia farming led to something sweeter and bigger, writes SIM BAK HENG
IN March 2014, Wan Hanisah Wan Hassan, 46, her sister, Zainon Husain, 49, and their cousin, Rosmani Mat Deris, 53, channelled RM80,000 towards the setting up of a small farm to plant stevia, a herb used as a natural sweetener — a venture not common in Terengganu.
Despite the single mothers’ courage and determination, a squall during the monsoon season at the end of the year wreaked havoc on the farm, destroying their efforts.
Undeterred, they rebuilt the farm with the little resources they had, and shortly afterwards, the stevia plants began flowering.
It was a bad sign as only the leaves from plants that do not flower are sweet enough to be turned into a sugar substitute.
The women then approached the authorities for advice and guidance.
This led to their venture into stingless bee (kelulut) farming beside the stevia farm, which provides the bees with nectar.
As the stevia plants have medicinal properties, the kelulut honey produced by the bees is of premium grade.
Wan Hanisah says the three of them were overjoyed when they harvested the honey for the first time at the end of 2015, but adds: “When we began harvesting the honey and started enjoying the fruits of our labour, there was a break-in at the bee farm, and almost 30 colonies were stolen.
“It was another setback for us widows. We plan on seeking help from Tenaga Nasional Bhd on the possibility of installing electric fencing at the farm.”
Wan Hanisah is in charge of marketing and promoting the kelulut honey, while Zainon is treasurer and Rosmani is farm caretaker.
While they sell most of the honey and honey-related products online, they also have a small shop next to the bee farm for the convenience of visitors from other states, as well as those who visit on educational tours.
Among the products sold are soaps, lotions and herbal tonics.
Wan Hanisah says she regularly takes part in roadshows organised by the state Agriculture Department, which provides a platform for her to market the products under the brand name “Madu Jabee”.
Rosmani says she enjoys working on the bee farm, adding that their best record was producing one litre of honey from a single colony in just two weeks.
She says the rate of honey production is high as there are 53 colonies on the farm, making it a lucrative business.
She says the money earned from the sale of the honey and honey-related products will go towards the setting up of more colonies.
“Our farm can accommodate up to 500 colonies. We are still in the infancy stage of our venture.
“Slowly, but surely, we will build our business.”
To ensure a consistent cash flow, Rosmani intercrops the stevia plants with cash crops, such as brinjal and chilli.
She says this is necessary as honey production comes to a standstill during the monsoon season when the stevia plants do not flower, resulting in a lack of nectar for the bees.
Zainon says the setbacks they faced in the course of their venture were a test from Allah and only served to make them stronger and more determined.
“The first setback was the squall, which destroyed our efforts. Besides the physical losses, it was also a test of our faith. We prayed hard and persevered, and our venture eventually bore fruit.”
She says the three of them regularly attend courses by the state Agriculture Department to boost their skills and knowledge.