Former senior fire officer, Mat Ariffa Che Mat Reduan, 46, and his former police sergeant wife, Noor Azlina Bahari, 48, who once appeared smartly dressed in uniform, now spend their days tending to chicken coops in simple work attire.
Mat Ariffa said he decided to take early retirement from the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department in 2023 after serving since 1999, while his wife retired in 2024 to help manage the farm full-time.
“At first, my wife and I only reared free-range chickens on a small scale...about 50 chickens near our home, simply to fill our free time,” he said when met by Bernama at the Free-Range Chicken Rearing Centre in Seri Bandi near here today.
The centre, developed by the Central Terengganu Development Authority (KETENGAH), is equipped with chicken coops, electricity and water supply, an office, a surau and staff housing.
Mat Ariffa said their commitment to livestock farming has since grown, with the couple now rearing 10,000 hybrid free-range chickens per production cycle of 60 days and employing five workers.
“In addition, we also practise contract farming involving 10 farmers from poor families and senior citizens across eight districts in the state, with a total production of 10,000 free-range chickens per cycle,” he said.
He said fresh processed chickens are currently sold to wholesalers at RM10 per kilogram, a competitive price necessary to remain viable amid competition from large-scale producers.
“My wife and I wake up as early as 4 am every day to carry out slaughtering and processing before sending the chickens to the market,” she said.
The couple, who have six children aged between six and 23, said they plan to increase production by adding another 500 hybrid free-range chickens this year.
In addition to fresh poultry, they also produce frozen free-range chicken-based products such as three-flavour marinated chicken and free-range chicken satay.
She said the frozen products, sold at RM25 per pack, help prevent losses during periods of oversupply in the market.
“The fresh processed chickens and frozen products that we produce are now marketed almost nationwide,” said Mat Ariffa.
-- BERNAMA
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