40 years in the market and still in demand

BACHOK: The cloud of black and thick smoke does not disturb Nazri Mohd Sohor's focus at all, instead his hands continue to agilely throw in the pieces of wood into an igloo-like structure known as "gok" that serves as an oven to burn the wood into charcoal.

Nazri, 48, and his wife, Pazuriatiayu Paudin, 45, have been doing that everyday since the past eight years after they took took over the 40-year old charcoal making company from Pazuriatiayu's father, Paudin Ismail, who died early this year.

According to Nazri, his late father-in-law started the charcoal-making business in Kampung Padang Raja, Melor, Kota Bharu, before he and his wife, as well as her siblings, decided to move the factory site to its current location near his house in Kampung Bukit Mak Lipah, Mahligai, here.

"My wife and I, as well as her siblings, have inherited the charcoal-making skill and now we have 12 ovens or gok to burn the wood for the purpose.

"The wood burning process takes about two weeks for a smaller gok, and three weeks for the larger gok, for the wood to turn into charcoal. Among the types of wood that I use to make charcoal are from rambutan rubber and dokong trees "he said when met by Bernama recently.

Nazri said the fire in the gok had to be controlled to ensure the quality of the charcoal .

"After the wood is placed in the gok, the fire is lit in a special place next to the main door. The wood is then burned at high temperature for three days, before the burning process is continued using medium and small fire until the wood turns into charcoal," he added.

Nazri said he had to inspect the gok five times daily to avoid it from cracking and the fire from spreading.

The gok or oven also has to be plastered with a mixture of clay and wet fine sand at the door to control the temperature, he said, adding that quality charcoal does not emit sparks and is easy to lit

He said the charcoal, when ready, is packed in a packet of 2kg each and sold for RM2.

"Our regular buyers are food entrepreneurs, like those involved in making nasi kerabu, grilled chicken, beef and mutton, bread and grilled burgers, " he said, adding that he was able to produce about 3,800 kg of charcoal a month.

According to him, apart from pre-packed charcoal, there are also customers who request for the crushed charcoal or the "less-cooked" charcoal which is sold for RM25 per gunny sack of 20kg.

This type of charcoal is normally requested by flower growers, especially for them to plant orchids and roses, he said.

-- BERNAMA