Tibet's Farmers, Herdsmen Enjoy Higher Incomes

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, January 04, 2002

Tibet's Farmers, Herdsmen Enjoy Higher Incomes

The income of farmers and herdsmen in southwest China's Tibet has improved markedly, with the per capita figure expected to reach 1,410 yuan in 2001, a rise of 5.9 percent over that of the previous year.

Legend of the Fall in Shangri-La

The income of farmers and herdsmenin the Tibet Autonomous Region, southwest China, has improved markedly, thanks to 14 straight years of bumper harvests.

Local sources said the per capita income of local farmers and herdsmen is expected to reach 1,410 yuan in 2001, a rise of 5.9 percent over the figure for the year 2000. And their cash income is expected to grow by 40 percent.

The region's total grain output is expected to reach 980,000 tons in 2001, and the output of rape and other vegetables is expected to hit 45,000 tons and 182,000 tons, representing increases of 9 percent and 7 percent, respectively, over the previous year.

With a higher survival rate of young animals and a lower death rate of adult animals, the region expects an output of 160,000 tons of meat and 230,000 tons of milk for the year 2001 -- 6.7 percent and 12.7 percent, respectively, higher than the figures for the previous year.

By developing diversified businesses, the region's township enterprises are expected to register a total output value of 910 million yuan (about 109.6 million U.S. dollars) in the year 2001, a rise of 14 percent.

New Life of a Tibetan Herdsman

Ser Gya, a young Tibetan herdsman, is now the owner of his own pastureland with 80 hectares, 50 yaks and a mini-bus.

Only four years ago, Ser was one of the poorest men in his village with only seven yaks.

The most significant change was a historical shift from a nomadic lifestyle to settlements on permanent grazing lands. "The government has helped build new settlements for us and we are living a relatively comfortable life," he said. (More)

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