Single Storey Farm/Money can't Justify success in Swiftlet Farming

Single storey farm? Why not, my reply to my reader. Not all who invested in Swiftlet farming are rich. There are many who make it came from middle income . Of course those who have bigger budget have better option when it comes to design, sizes of farm and equipment that going to be used.



But that doesn't mean that bigger budgeted farms will out perforce smaller ones. In Swiftlet farming money can not justify success. Because, when swiftlets build nests they don't care how thick the money in your pocket and they don't care how much you have spent in building the farm all they care is a good Micro in farm. Be it cheap or expensive the construction cost doesn't impress the Swiftlets.



That is why so many towkays are so pissed off about this trade. They have the cash, if they want the best expensive car they can have it , just pay. If they want the best biggest luxury house they also can have it, just pay, name a price build it. If they want the most beautiful....Wom..... they still can have it as saying money can buy anything, but..................but...........
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. (a just completed single storey farm)

But when it comes to Swiftlet farming they are pissed off. Their money is useless. They can not pay the swiftlets money to enter the farm or to build nests. This was the biggest challenge. They can buy all the nests in the market with their money but to make the Swiftlets make nests was beyond their money could control. So it is sort of a challenge of dissatisfaction. From here this had made towkays building bigger and bigger farms some even exceeding few million in the end having number of nests below expectation.


I have spoken to few of them in the North & South who are very wealthy with huge asset. You can imagine the wealth they had. They complained to me.


"James, it is not so much of the money I can make from swiftlet farming as my wealth is more than enough for many of my generation to come. It is the " Tulan" dissatisfaction that I can't make the birds build nests in my farm, that keep me in this business"


Again so money can not justify success in Swiftlet farming. Knowledge and skill count.


So immaterial how big or small or how many storey is your farm the most important thing is doing the right way that liked by swiftlets. I have visited few single storey farms that are very successful. Within 2 years of operation it managed to have more than 250 nests. The build up is only 20x60 s/f, the whole thing including the building and renovation cost is below Rm 60k. At the same time I have also visited farms that cost Rm 800k-2.5m (standalone) failed badly.


So it is very much depended on who is the one who designed the farm, renovating the farm and managing the farm.


If you have a big budget but you don't have the knowledge and skill to do it or you are unlucky to find someone that also poses the same skill like you to undertake the development job of your farm then your farm is destined to fail.


One of the common mistake most made is perceiving someone that are 1/2 bucket of water as a good consultant or sifu to undertake the job.


Secondly common mistake made is that most would select offers that are at cheapest as an indicator to who they will award the renovation job. As I had mentioned before numeration in dollar sign can not be used as measurement of success, be it expensive or cheap. So a consultant's offer (renovation) which is cheap or expensive would not justify your farm will be successful. Sadly this has been a norm in the Industry.


If most could understand the above then I am confident that the number of failed farms in Malaysia would reduce greatly in future.


Good luck!


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