Tibet鈥檚 farmers getting to know their vegetables
Print Edition
A campaign to diversify the crops grown in Tibet is blossoming after early struggles.
Three years ago, Tibetan farmer Cering Puncog鈥檚 attempt to grow vegetables in greenhouses turned out to be a total failure.
He had been making a living growing highland barley, but had no knowledge about vegetable planting. 鈥淲ith barley, I just leave it alone after throwing seeds and fertilizer in the soil, and it grows on its own,鈥 he said. 鈥淪o I tried to grow tomatoes and lettuce the same way, but there was nothing to harvest.鈥
The 49-year-old lives in Doilungdeqen County鈥檚 Yangda Township where the soil is famously infertile. Hardy highland barley has long been the major crop and staple food.
Yangda鈥檚 Party committee built a modern agricultural demonstration area with 200 greenhouses, answering calls from the central government at the 2010 National Conference on Work in Tibet for the region to identify other more profitable, specialty crops that could be grown there.
However, just like Cering Puncog, many local farmers who applied for greenhouses failed in their new ventures.
Realizing this, the local government organized films introducing greenhouse principles, and hired agricultural technicians to help the farmers.
Mastering techniques such as soil turning, applying fertilizer and picking vegetables, the farmers are now tasting success, as government initiatives to modernize agriculture and improve local livelihoods start to take root.
鈥淚 planted lettuce, chili, cabbage and cucumber. They all grew well and the township government helps us sell them in the city market,鈥 said Cering Puncog, referring to arrangements under which farmers鈥 produce is taken for sale in regional capital Lhasa.
鈥淚 can make more than 30,000 yuan (US$4,710) per year now, while in the past my yearly income was only about 2,500 yuan,鈥 he added.
Currently, the Yangda demonstration area has 360 greenhouses, benefiting some 180 farming households.
In Qushui County鈥檚 Caina Townhsip, more than 20 kinds of plants including tulips, roses and saffron are growing in a similar 33-hectare zone.
Individual plots
Nyima Cering, of the zone鈥檚 management department, said it had been cultivating more profitable crops than highland barley, introducing more technology and developing larger-scale production.
Farmers are invited to let their individual plots to the scheme and accept a salary for working the land.
In peak season, 200 to 300 farmers work in the zone every day. 鈥淚n the past, the farmers could make, at most, 2,000 yuan annually for every mu of land (one hectare equals 15 mu) by growing barley,鈥 he said. 鈥淣ow, they not only get 1,400 yuan annually for every mu of land they have transferred to the demonstration zone, but also make about 100 yuan daily by working here.鈥
Despite rapid development, the sector still requires more development.
Soinam Ngoizhub, who runs a walnut oil factory, said: 鈥淲e need to start promoting them in the wider market in the rest of the country. However, since we are located far from the inland areas, high transportation costs will push up the retail price, reducing the products鈥 competitive edge.鈥
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