MACHANG: An enterprising individual here has found an innovative way to earn extra income by collecting discarded coconut shells and processing them into charcoal.
Muhammad Sabri Che Mansor, 32, said he ventured into the enterprise with a friend during the Movement Control Order period.
At the end of last year, however, he decided to venture on his own due to the high demand from customers.
He said due to his work as a heavy machinery operator at the Kemubu Agricultural Development Authority in Bachok, he processed coconut shell charcoal up to four times a week, based on the demand.
He said work would start at 9am with the coconut shells collected earlier for processing.
"Before the coconut shell is processed into charcoal, it must be cleaned by removing the fibre on the surface of the shell and burning it using a combustion chamber or 'gok', which needs to be monitored at all times.
"I made this 'gok' myself using iron and bricks costing RM800.
"Burning coconut shells using this method usually takes between 8 and 12 hours. It can also take up to 20 hours because the coconut shells are moist and they must be completely dry during the burning process," he said at Kampung Pangkal Gong, here.
Sabri said after the shell was burnt, it would be placed in a drum and left to cool for three days before it was sifted to separate the crushed and whole hard shell charcoal.
"I sell two types of charcoal. The crushed shell charcoal is sold at RM2 per kg. Villagers usually buy this to use in tube wells or water filters as this charcoal can deodorise or remove the bad water odour.
"The hard shell charcoal is sold at RM3 per kg or RM40 for a 20kg sack and it is purchased by barbecue food traders around Machang and Pulai Chondong.
"The advantage of coconut shell charcoal compared with other charcoal is that it does not emit a lot of smoke during the burning process. The embers last longer, too," he said.