Introduction

We started with two main fruits, dragon fruits & gingers as our produces. Our farm is located in Sepang, Selangor, on a 5-acre plot.

Actual photos of Stargrower's dragon fruit farm.

Dragon fruit, known locally as "buah naga” is a tropical fruit with 24 harvest cycles all year round. It is a vibrant-looking fruit with a mildly sweet flavour and unique, speckled flesh.

Bentong ginger is known for its intense pungency and spicy fragrance. Besides being a staple in many Malaysian cuisines, it is also well known for its medicinal properties.

Through our commitment to sustainable practices and technological advancements, we aim to create a world where food insecurity is minimised, supply chains are robust, and communities thrive with access to wholesome, locally-grown produce. We envision a future where our efforts contribute significantly to a more sustainable and resilient food system for future generations, starting with our dragon fruit & ginger farm.

What We Do

The Challenge

The challenges of our agriculture industry:

• Limited access to nutritious food: Millions globally struggle with food insecurity, lacking enough safe and nutritious food. This limited access fuels health issues like malnutrition and diet-related diseases, creating a cycle of poor health and food insecurity.
   

• Environmental Degradation: Traditional farming methods deplete soil nutrients, worsen water scarcity, and reduce plant and animal diversity. The overuse of water, fertilizers, and pesticides further harms the environment, disrupting ecosystems and threatening long-term agricultural productivity.
   

• Inefficient Supply Chains: Supply chain inefficiencies lead to significant food waste, higher costs, and disruptions that affect the availability and quality of produce.
   

• Economic Instability in Farming Communities: Many farming communities face economic instability due to unpredictable crop yields, market access issues, and unfair trade practices.
   

• Unpredictable Weather Patterns: Climate change has made weather patterns more erratic, increasing the vulnerability of traditional farming to droughts, floods, and other extreme weather events.

Our Solution

We have chosen dragon fruit and Bentong ginger as our primary crops due to their ease of management and administration, high market demand, and short, frequent harvest cycles. Dragon fruit, in particular, offers a continuous harvest for up to nine years, ensuring a steady supply throughout the year. Both crops also provide high profit margins, making them attractive options for sustained agricultural profitability.

At Stargrower, managing plant diseases and pests is crucial for ensuring the health and productivity of our crops. Our comprehensive approach integrates preventive measures, early detection, and effective control strategies, utilizing both traditional and innovative techniques. By employing these methods and the polybag technique (this is specific to Bentong Ginger), we produce high-quality, healthy crops while maintaining ecological balance and promoting sustainable farming practices. The polybag technique further enhances our efforts by providing a controlled environment that reduces risks and improves crop management.

In Malaysia, the demand for dragon fruit and Bentong ginger is steadily rising, driven by local consumption. At Stargrower, our effective disease and pest management practices contribute to food security by ensuring consistent and reliable crop production. Expanding our cultivation area and adopting sustainable practices help meet this growing market demand. Our crops are sought after by committed off-takers. This commitment ensures the availability of these in-demand crops, supports the country's food supply and fosters long-term resilience in our farming ecosystem.

Why Are We Different

Our project stands out in agriculture due to a decade of extensive experience.

Our Revenue Model

We focus only on middlemen resellers which can provide a sales contract volume with a stable price. We have readily available off-takers for both our harvests, dragon fruit and Bentong ginger at any time.

Our Market Opportunity

Domestically, dragon fruit is sold in supermarkets and other markets and can be made into products like jam and juice. Prices range from MYR 3.50–4.00 per kilogram at the farm to MYR 5.00–6.00 per kilogram in stores, with online sales also expanding. However, production faces challenges like disease outbreaks and limited research funding. Despite these issues, the market potential is significant, driven by high demand and good economic returns. Investing in research and effective disease management will be key to fully realising this potential.

Malaysia's dragon fruit export market is also thriving, with key buyers like Singapore and Hong Kong.

Source: Status and Challenges of Dragon Fruit Production in Malaysia.pdf

According to Nation Master, Malaysia's ginger production has seen a steady increase since 2014, averaging a growth rate of 0.8% annually. By 2019, Malaysia ranked 16th globally in ginger production, with an output of 11,205 metric tons.

Local demand for ginger in Malaysia remains high, making it a significant import commodity for the country. Dr. Salini Devi Rajendran, a Senior Lecturer at the School of Food Studies and Gastronomy at Taylor’s University, highlighted in Bernama that ginger is among the top imported foods. This reliance on imports underscores the importance of ginger in the Malaysian market and its continuous high demand​

Despite facing challenges like disease outbreaks and limited research funding, the dragon fruit and ginger markets in Malaysia hold significant potential due to robust demand and promising economic returns. Fully realizing this potential hinges on strategic investments in research and effective disease management. By prioritizing these initiatives, Stargrower can seize opportunities and make substantial contributions to Malaysia's agricultural sector. The increasing dragon fruit and ginger production underscores the opportunity for further growth in both domestic consumption and international markets, highlighting a positive outlook for sustained expansion in this sector.

Our Strategy

At Stargrower, we're driven to bring more of the fruits (and roots!) you love to your table. We're strategically expanding our crops to meet the growing demand for delectable dragon fruit and the prized Bentong ginger.

Early Harvest, Big Success

Our initial venture into dragon fruit has been a resounding success! Since launching in October 2023, our 4-acre dragon fruit operation has yielded over RM 14,000 in revenue. This impressive start highlights the potential for further growth. The beauty of dragon fruit is its rapid 2-week harvest cycle. By expanding our crops, we can ensure a consistent supply of this vibrant fruit, satisfying market needs and generating more income.

Double Duty with Dragon Fruit: Quality and Pest Management

We understand that quality is paramount. In addition to expanding our crops, we prioritize meticulous pest management practices to ensure our dragon fruit arrives at your table in pristine condition.

Polybag Power: A Sustainable Solution for Bentong Ginger

We're utilising the innovative polybag technique to maximize our farm's potential and ensure sustainable practices. This method involves growing crops in polyethene bags, offering a wealth of benefits:

Water Conservation: Polybags optimize irrigation, reducing water waste.

Reduced Erosion: Minimize soil erosion, protecting the precious resource.

Fewer Chemicals: The controlled environment allows for reduced reliance on harmful chemical inputs.

Climate Resilience: Polybags provide a more controlled environment, making crops more resilient to unpredictable weather patterns.

We're not just aiming for increased yield by embracing the polybag technique. We're committed to responsible farming that promotes resource efficiency, minimizes environmental impact, and fosters long-term sustainability. This approach ensures not only a bountiful harvest but also a healthy and resilient farming ecosystem for the future.

Our Achievements

Our journey started in 2021.

Financial Forecast

Note:

2024: the revenue is generated based on the 5-acre area, with 4 acres dedicated to dragon fruit and 1 acre to Bentong ginger. Each acre yields 500kg of dragon fruit and 36,000kg of ginger per harvest cycle.

2025 onward: the revenue generated comes from an additional 28-acre plot, with 20 acres dedicated to dragon fruit and 8 acres to Bentong ginger.

Indicative Usage of Funds