The net per capita income of farmers and herdsmen in the Tibet Autonomous Region, southwest China, surged 11 percent year-on-year to reach a record 1,690 yuan (204.35 US dollars) last year, the latest statistics have shown.

Zhou Chunlai, director of the regional agriculture and animal husbandry bureau, attributed the increase to the fast growth of local agriculture and animal husbandry.

Tibet harvested 970,000 tons of grain last year, equal to that of the previous year. The region's rapeseed output reached 45,600 tons, up 1.4 percent year-on-year, and its output of vegetables topped 326,000 tons, a rise of 39 percent.

The region's animal husbandry also maintained a robust development momentum last year, with meat output reaching 183,000 tons, up 6.4 percent, and milk output 258,000 tons, up six percent.

Last year, Tibet invested over 200 million yuan (24.18 million US dollars) in infrastructural construction that serves the development of farming and animal husbandry. It launched 51 key agricultural and animal husbandry projects and implemented projects to improve pasture in nine counties.

All these contributed to the fast growth of local agriculture and animal husbandry and the increase of farmers' and herdsmen's income, Zhou said.
 
(People's Daily January 18, 2004)