A view of the barley fields and Gyalze county in Shigatse of the Tibet autonomous region. [Photo by Tashi Dondrub/For chinadaily.com.cn]

September is the harvest season for highland barley in Shigatse, Tibet autonomous region.

In the highland fields of the city's Gyalze county, ears of barley sway in the wind like a golden ocean.

A group of chief editors from various provincial-level party newspapers nationwide recently made an interview trip to Gyalze county.

Gyalze is one of the main grain producing areas in Tibet, with an average annual planting area of over 7,000 hectares of barley and an estimated annual output of over 57,000 metric tons.

A barley wine company in Gyalze county of Shigatse of the Tibet autonomous region provides job opportunities for the rural residents and creates market prosperity with barley production on the plateau region. [Photo by Tashi Dondrub/For chinadaily.com.cn]

In the past, most villagers planted barley mainly for self-sufficient needs. Now Gyalze county vigorously develops the highland barley industry to increase the value of highland barley production.

In recent years, new processed products, including barley wine, barley noodles, barley biscuits, and barley yogurt, have emerged in the market. These products have increased in popularity among consumers, bringing new cash to the local villagers.

A barley wine company in Gyalze county of Shigatse of the Tibet autonomous region provides job opportunities for the rural residents and creates market prosperity with barley production on the plateau region. [Photo by Tashi Dondrub/For chinadaily.com.cn]

Yangzom, a staff member of Tibet Sangdangang Barley Wine Industry Co., Ltd, has a faith in the market prospects of barley. He resigned from his job in 2021 and joined the company, where he now serves as an office staff member.

"I really never thought that barley could make many products when I first came here to work. I didn't expect the company to develop so quickly and so well," said Yangzom with pride.

Like Yangzom, Tashi is also a local who serves the company. As a production line leader, he is responsible for daily sterilization, packaging, and other tasks, and he earns a monthly salary of more than 5,000 yuan ($680).

"As the youngest child in the family, I am happy to find a job in the village, and my family is very satisfied with this job," said Tashi.

A barley wine company in Gyalze county of Shigatse of the Tibet autonomous region provides job opportunities for the rural residents and creates market prosperity with barley production on the plateau region. [Photo by Tashi Dondrub/For chinadaily.com.cn]

"The barley we use in our company is all purchased from the local villagers, which helps the local villagers to find a market for their products, and it also helps the villagers to increase their income by selling the barley to the company," said the company's president, Tashi Rabgyal.

"We have also recruited 15 new local employees and we want to bring more excellent local employees to the company via the method of 'mentoring and apprenticeship'," he said.

According to the company, every year it pays an average dividend amount of 1.14 million yuan to 481 households from the barley deep processing project. Between 2021 and 2022, the company purchased a total of 2,310 metric tons of barley from the local residents at a price of 0.8 yuan per kilogram higher than the market price, driving an increase of 1.84 million yuan of income for the local residents.

In addition, the company has provided job opportunities for nearly 40 financially-disadvantaged households and college graduates with job difficulties.