Kuala lumpur: The perseverance of two elderly siblings in continuing the groundnut and corn farming legacy left by their ancestors in Kampung Jelutar here over the past 30 years has remained their family's main source of income to this day. Kamariah Sidik, 67, said the approximately 0.2-hectare plot inherited from her forefathers is sufficient for her and her elder brother, Azmi Sidik, 69, to cultivate the crops and sell them to the public at affordable prices.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Kamariah explained that growing groundnuts and corn is not too difficult or complicated. The siblings focus on ensuring there is enough fertiliser and managing the growth of weeds around the crops. They harvest groundnuts after three months and 10 days, while corn takes about two and a half months. Kamariah mentioned that pests and animals like caterpillars, ants, and rats pose significant challenges in their cultivation efforts.

Kamariah shared that they start working in the field around 7 am and continue until 11 am due to the heat. Their children also assist with the farming. She sells groundnuts at RM7 per kilogramme and corn at RM1 per cob, which is enough to cover her daily expenses despite fluctuations in income based on harvests.

Azmi highlighted the difficulty they face during the dry season due to insufficient water supply. Although their farm is near a river, it becomes shallow in dry periods, complicating water access. He expressed hope that authorities would provide subsidies for essential equipment like a water pump engine, grass-cutting machine, and fertiliser to help reduce operating costs.