High-altitude industries in Southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region are charting a new growth path, with specialty firms driving job creation and rising incomes. At 4,700 meters above sea level, the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau is proving fertile ground for next-level agri-business.
Cering Qoizha, vice general manager of Garqoi Ecological Animal Husbandry, says the company will open a workshop this September to process 5,000 yaks annually. Founded in 2009 in Nyainrong County, the firm manages 2,520 hectares of pasture and over 1,200 yaks and sheep. Today it employs 115 staff—many local graduates and recruits from low-income households—and reported 2024 sales above 13 million yuan, with a goal of 20 million in 2025.
In Banbar County, a booming black goat industry is attracting attention. Nutrient-rich and low in cholesterol, Banbar black goat meat comes from over 6,200 breeding animals. By pairing goat farms with tourism initiatives such as dedicated restaurants, local leaders are turning this specialty into a pillar of rural revitalization.
A 1 billion yuan distillery project in Chagyab County will launch in August, producing 5,000 tonnes of unblended highland barley liquor and 15,000 tonnes of finished product annually. The modern park includes grain storage, yeast and brewing workshops, and will create about 300 local jobs with average monthly incomes of 6,000 yuan. Young resident Gaggya, 24, returned home after college to benefit from professional training at the facility.
Robust infrastructure, tourism growth, and diverse plateau industries have lifted living standards across Xizang. In 2024, rural per capita disposable income reached 21,578 yuan—93.3 percent of the national average—and grew by 8.3 percent, the fastest rate in the country. Urban incomes rose to 55,444 yuan, up 6.8 percent. Overall disposable income climbed 8.2 percent to 31,358 yuan, outpacing the national average by 2.9 percentage points.
As plateau industries expand, Xizang’s economy is turning high-altitude challenges into a sustainable advantage, setting the stage for long-term growth and prosperity.
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Specialty plateau industries thrive in Xizang's booming economy
cgtn.com
