Tomatoes from the vegetable planting base in Panam county, Shigatse, Xizang autonomous region. [Photo/VCG]

In 1996, the first greenhouses introduced by Jinan's aid program brought vegetable cultivation to Panam county, Shigatse, Xizang autonomous region. Thirty years later, what began as an experiment has flourished into a robust fruit and vegetable industry, evolving "from nothing to something, from small to large, from weak to strong".

Today, Panam boasts three major agricultural parks, along with 17 specialized cooperatives and 2,060 greenhouses. Crop variety has expanded dramatically from the traditional "old three" — radish, cabbage, and potato — to 55 different types, including watermelon, green peppers, and tomatoes. The county has also established Xizang's first national-level standardized vegetable cultivation demonstration zone.

By 2024, the area under fruit and vegetable cultivation had reached 20,800 mu (1,386.67 hectares), yielding 69,000 metric tons of produce with an output value of 350 million yuan ($49.26 million). The industry has boosted incomes for more than 1,000 households — over 5,000 residents — by 82.53 million yuan, accounting for 16.7 percent of local earnings.