TESTIMONIALS

With his rich experience in agriculture management, Wang Min Ping could harvest up to 1200kg of ladies fingers per acre per day at the peak of the harvest period. He explained that proper management of the plants will determine the duration of the harvest period. Other than having proper pests & diseases control, appropriate fertilisation is also crucial.

Experienced vegetable farmer Wang Min Ping has a 6-acre ladies fingers plantation. With his rich experience and appropriate fertiliser management practice, he could harvest up to 1200kg of ladies fingers per acre per day during the peak harvest period.

Proper plant management lengthens harvest period

He explained that he has been harvesting for more than 3 months now and is nearing the end of the harvest period. Even after the peak harvest period, he would still be able to harvest 700kg to 800kg of ladies fingers per acre per day.

Throughout the year, he would harvest according to a cycle starting with ladies fingers, followed by chilis, brinjals, long beans, cucumbers, horned melons and other varieties of vegetables and fruits. It is now his 2^nd harvest of ladies fingers. Sharing his farming practice, he said that that when the soil has been prepared and the cover films replaced, he would plant two rounds of ladies fingers before he moves to brinjals. Once the brinjals have been harvested, the cover films will be replaced with new ones and he would plant another round of ladies fingers or other crop variety.

He pointed out that ladies fingers take 45 days before they are ready for harvest and the harvest period usually lasts 4 months. He stressed that proper plant management will determine the duration of the harvest period. Other than having proper pests & diseases control, appropriate fertilisation is also crucial. He chose to use the AgroBridge premium quality fertilisers, distributed by AgroBridge (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, to provide the plants with the necessary nutrients.

Among the products he uses are AgroBridge 16-16-16 fertiliser formula and AgroBridge Bonica. AgroBridge 16-16-16 is a fast-soluble fertiliser, which can enhance tree size and green leaves effects; AgroBridge Bonica is high in calcium and nitrogen, which can enhance the plants’ absorption of nutrients. Applying both products allows the growth of thicker leaves and reduces the possibility of damages caused by pests and diseases.

Longer decomposition rate of the fertilisers help to save costs

Wang explained that this fertilisation method caused the ladies fingers plants to grow healthily and led to the increase in quality and yield. Furthermore, the longer decomposition rate of these fertilisers provided savings to his fertiliser costs as he now only needs to apply once every 2 weeks compared to once a week as before.

At the same time, he also uses another of AgroBridge’s product, Wuxal Fulvic (fulvic acid) to improve the soil quality, effectively increase the organic content and neutralise the acidity level. This will provide the plants with an optimum soil condition to enhance the absorption of nutrients.

Other than a variety of vegetables, Wang’s 40-acre farm in Slim River, Perak, is also planted with a variety of fruits, including a 6-acre guava orchard. Regardless of the types of crops, he explained that of utmost importance is to have a good market price at the time of harvest. If not, a high crop yield may not equate to high returns. As it was during the peak harvest period earlier, the marginal price stayed in the range of RM1.50 and RM2.50. However, as it is now reaching the end of the harvest period, the price soared to RM4.50, and he could only express his helplessness.