Pilot turned farmer finds 'corny' niche

MALAYSIANSKINI | Self-made agro-entrepreneur Ramana K Naidu trained for a profession that would allow him to soar into the clouds – but he ended up reaching greater heights when he ditched his crisp pilot suit for muddy days in the sun.

Recently, Ramana has been increasingly sought after for his expert views on the relationship between grain corn and the price of chicken – which has sometimes disappeared from supermarket shelves and wet markets.

Speaking to Malaysiakini at a time when feed prices had already skyrocketed by 117 percent, from RM900 per tonne this time last year to the RM1,950 per tonne, he urged private and government-linked companies to venture into cultivating the lucrative crop which makes up the bulk of animal feed.

Hailing from the small town of Bedong in Kedah, Ramana is fast becoming a familiar face on local television and live online forums where he explains to viewers why the price of the cheapest form of protein in our markets is now skyrocketing.

It could all have been very different, as he explained his roundabout journey.

The corn farmer from Kedah left his flying career in Thailand when...