BINTULU (July 15): Adhering to the wisdom 'if others can do it, so can we' has made Kansar Karar, 45, or better known as Kina, a successful agri-entrepreneur.
Initially, Kina was only interested in planting chilies and eventually became a chili fertigation farmer because it was seen as profitable.
This deep interest eventually paid off when the small business she started grew into Kina Karar Agrofarm.
Now, she says, Kina Karar Agrofarm successfully produces and markets 34 types of products, including to international markets such as Dubai, New Zealand, Japan, and Korea.
"Our main products that have gained attention include the Multipurpose Pansuh Paste and KacangMa Paste, which have already penetrated foreign markets.
"Besides that, we also have various chili-based products such as green bird's eye chili sauce, red bird's eye chili sauce, chili sauce, pickled chili, fried onions, white pepper sauce, black pepper sauce, fish floss, stingless bee honey, and many more.
"The chili sauce we produce is of high quality because it is made from 90 percent real chilies and only a small amount of additional flavoring," she said when met by reporters at Sarawak Agrofest (SAF) 2024 at the Old Airport site here today.
In addition, Kina also ventures into the cultivation of chilies, ginger, and other crops and produces fertigation fertilizer known as Kina Karar Fertilizer.
The recipient of the 2020 Chief Minister's Award for Outstanding Female Entrepreneur said she began engaging in agricultural and trade business since 2009 and obtained a license and halal status in 2013 to advance her business.
In addition to holding licenses and certificates from the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI), Kina Karar Agrofarm also receives assistance from government agencies such as the Agriculture Office, which helped develop the factory.
"The products we produce are also halal certified. For instance, the Multipurpose Pansuh Paste, MARDI has conducted tests in terms of packaging, laboratory tests, and provided guidance to us," she added.
Regarding the Multipurpose Pansuh Paste, Terung Dayak Fruit Juice, and Embawang Fruit Juice, Kansar said they use many local ingredients to meet the demand for these products.
"The main ingredients for making the paste and juice such as tepus, ginger flower, terung dayak, and embawang fruit are all sourced from communities across Sarawak to help them.
"For example, during the embawang fruit season, the fruit would otherwise go to waste until we could buy a ripe one for RM0.50 because there were so many.
"We take the fruit and turn it into puree. With this puree, we can store it as stock throughout the year," said the Kampung Kuap Batu 10 native.
