Story of Fine Seeds Village
SangmoVillageinTonggarTown,Doilungdeqen Countyis famous for its fine varieties of seeds. Over the years, the village introduced 11 fine varieties of seeds from theUnited StatesandFrance. These seeds are adopted in the village before they are sold to other villages. According to the locals, ordinary qingke barley sells for l.6 yuan per kg, and ordinary winter wheat1.2 yuan per kg. However, fine-variety qingke barley sells for 2.6 yuan per kg, and fine-variety winter wheat2.5 yuan per kg. Fine variety of seeds gives high yields. For instance, barley production rises from 2,000 kg to6,000 kg per hectare, and spring wheat from 3,750 kgt0 6,750 kg. In Xigaze, the winter wheat production rises t0 12,750 kg per hectare when five varieties of seeds are adopted. It was reported thatTibethas introduced some 80 varieties of fine wheat, qingke and rapeseed. Given this situation, many have adopted fine varieties. In 2000,SangmoVillagesold 45,000 kg offline varieties of seeds at a price of l.2 yuan per kgmore than ordinary seeds.
Scattered farming has its drawbacks as individuals can hardly fight drought and pests. Realizing this, many farmers inLhasa, Xigaze and Shannan have joined hands voluntarily for mechanized plowing, sowing and harvesting.
The above change is coupled by another change in the importance attached to the market. To cope with market needs, the suburban areas inLhasaand Xigaze organized to grow vegetables and provide transport services. Some farmers have set up restaurants in cities and stores offering handicrafts, which are loved by tourists. Some villages become specialized in certain fields such as Tibetan knives, cushions, aprons, pottery and traditional writing paper.
It is also fashionable to grow melons and vegetables, and raise domestic animals in the suburban areas of cities and towns. With aid fromShanghai, Gyangze set up a feed additive plant with an annual capacity of 1,500 tons in 2000. Such feed shortens the growing period, a boon for increased meat output. During the slack seasons, the farmers plunge into transport business.
Growing vegetables is lucrative. Recent years saw increased consumption of vegetables in cities and towns. To cope with the growing need, households specialized in vegetable growing have emerged in the rural areas ofLhasa, Xigaze and Shannan. Farmers fromChina’s hinterland were also invited to guide the vegetable growing or contract to grow vegetables. Many locals were astonished to see green vegetables, round watermelons, red tomatoes and long cucumbers in the fields, which used to be covered with wild grass. Modern farming is enriching the market supply and changing the mind of the locals.
“I don’t know what modernization is,” said an old man. “But, I know how much more grain we harvest today, and how good the farm machinery is.”