UMT Postgraduate Turns Sweet Melon Farming Into Profitable Venture

By Nurfardlina Izzati Moktar

MARANG, Feb 26 (Bernama) -- Every morning, while most postgraduate students are preparing for lectures, Fatin Nur Atillia Abdul Razak is probably among rows of ripening sweet melons, checking leaves and testing fruit for firmness, carving out a side income.

The 28-year-old Master’s candidate in Agrotechnology (Crop Science) at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) has found an unlikely balance between academic research and hands-on farming, turning her field of study into a modest but growing business.

Her introduction to sweet melon cultivation came in 2020 during her internship at an agricultural company in Kuala Ibai. What began as practical training soon evolved into something more enduring.

After enrolling in her master’s programme under Associate Professor Dr Wan Zaliha Wan Sembok, Fatin was offered the opportunity to join a sweet melon cultivation project linked to her research, taking theories from the lecture hall straight into the field.

“I joined the programme in the middle of last year as my research focuses on melon crops. It gave me the opportunity to apply academic knowledge in a real-world setting and gain practical experience,” she told Bernama after attending the Teraju-UMT Community Project Impact Recognition Ceremony at UMT Bukit Kor on Wednesday.

Fatin is one of the 28 participants of the Terengganu Sweet Melon Project, a collaboration between Unit Peneraju Agenda Bumiputera (Teraju) and UMT.

Her first season was a cautious experiment. She planted 1,000 polybags, each holding a single plant, and harvested between 300 and 500 kilogrammes of fruit, as the cycle began near the tail end of the planting period.

“Sweet melons take about 65 days to mature before they can be harvested and marketed, during which close monitoring is essential,” she said.

Fatin said all her produce has been marketed to schools and clinics in Hulu Terengganu, where there are relatively few melon growers.

“At present, supply does not meet demand. So, I am just focusing on the Hulu Terengganu market, particularly direct sales to schools and clinics,” she added.

The venture remains a side income while she completes her studies, but Fatin admitted that it has given her more than financial support. It has sharpened her technical knowledge, strengthened her confidence and allowed her to build a name of her own.

Customer feedback has also been encouraging, she said, with buyers praising the fruit’s quality.

“The response has been very positive. Customers say the melons are crisp and sweet, and that signature crunch and juiciness are the main attractions,” she said.

A native of Hulu Terengganu, Fatin hopes her participation in the project will help expand her own production and grow her business gradually.

“Through this programme, I can increase my own output, reduce reliance on external suppliers and expand sales through the melons I cultivate,” she said.

-- BERNAMA