The government of China's Tibet Autonomous Region will launch a six-year program to increase the output of grain this year for the profit of local farmers.

The decision was made at a regional conference on agriculture and animal husbandry recently held in Lhasa, the regional capital. Participants said that the region has great potential to increase grain output.

Tibet has raised a bumper harvest for 17 consecutive years. Though the region harvested 950,000 tons of grain last year, the unit output averaged 216 kg.

The local government urged leading grain producers to raise the unit output by eight kg or more and other grain-growing areas to increase the unit output by six kg by 2010.

Located on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, known as the roof of the world, Tibet has an average altitude of 4,000 meters. As a region with extremely harsh natural conditions, it grows highland barley, wheat, potato, peas and rapeseed in its southern part.

Local agricultural, water conservancy, scientific and technological and forestry departments are urged to make concerted efforts in raising the grain unit output and increase investment in agriculture this year.

Xinhua