KUALA LUMPUR: Ahmad Shawal Mispan nearly went insane after a construction company he set up when he was still in his teens hit rock bottom.

This agro-entrepreneur, who was 27-years-old and then enjoying the luxury of life being a young millionaire, owning various assets and luxury vehicles, was stumped when he found himself penniless and in debts.

He was emotionally stressed, his life turned haywire and most of the time living in isolation, whereby he was often seen on his own under a bridge, thus regarded as mentally unstable by the community.

Fortunately, his parents, father Mispan Zaidin, 73, and mother, Siti Khatijah Musanif, 63, was quick to see the changes in their son and acted quickly to 'save' him and restore his confidence that Ahmad Shawal was able to get up on his feet again and start life anew by venturing into the agro sector.

"My parents realised I was mentally stressed, so they helped pull me back on track," he said, adding that what his parents did was building him a cowshed.

"They built the cowshed with the money they got from selling a piece of land in Negeri Sembilan. I used it as a therapy. So, my days were spent with the cows at the shed, talking to them until I forgot about the outside world and the problems I had," said Ahmad Shawal, who is now 37-years-old.

After eight months of living in his own world with the cows, Ahmad Shawal, of Tanjong Sepat, Banting, said he felt strong and regained his spirit.

"Then I decided to buck up and venture into agriculture. It was in 2013 and I never look back again. Then, I still had about eight hectares (20 acres) of land in Banting, Selangor. The Kuala Langat Area Farmers Organisation (PPK) helped me by providing me with some loan using the land as collateral.

"Using the loan as capital, I develop my agro-business empire, as well as continue with my construction company business," he added.

The proprietor of Bumijaya Rezeki Sdn Bhd made the right choice in venturing into the agriculture sector, for he is now a millionaire agro-entrepreneur with 80 hectares of vegetable farm and 0.8 hectare of land for his cow rearing business in Banting, Selangor. He is assisted by 20 employees on his farms.

Ahmad Shawal said the harvest from his crop, like ginger, galangal, turmeric, sweet potato, are sold at supermarkets such as Giant, Econsave, Tesco and Sri Ternak Mart Sdn Bhd nationwide and also at the PPK Kuala Langat farm harvesting centre.

On his future plans, Ahmad Shawal, the fourth of nine siblings, said, he hoped to start a chicken farm in three years.

"Even though I only completed primary school and used to fail in my business, they are not a stumbling block to success. The important thing is not to give up, to think positively, be highly spirited and have a strong will," he said.

Ahmad Shawal, also known as Boboy, also helps PPK Kuala Langat to provide training for budding agro-entrepreneurs.

-- BERNAMA