Modern Mechanisation Boosts Highland Barley Harvest in Jamtang County

Dragon Media News Desk

Jamtang County in China has entered its main autumn harvest season, with highland barley fields turning golden across rural areas located around 3,000 metres above sea level as farmers work to bring in the crop.

In recent years, Jamtang has placed agriculture and animal husbandry at the centre of local economic development, promoting high-standard farmland construction, improved seed varieties and full-process agricultural mechanisation. These measures have gradually transformed traditional farming practices while improving the yield and quality of highland barley and supporting steady growth in farmers’ incomes.

The annual harvest has recently begun at the “Jamtang Highland Barley Modern Agricultural Industrial Zone.” Combine harvesters are being used to cut the crop, separate the grain and process remaining agricultural residue in a single operation. The harvested barley is transported for storage, while straw and other residues are crushed and returned to the fields.

The mechanised system has significantly improved harvesting efficiency, reduced the need for manual labour and enabled better recycling of agricultural resources, supporting the development of environmentally sustainable farming practices on the plateau.

To accurately assess this year’s barley output, quality and overall cultivation performance, Jamtang County’s science, technology, agriculture and animal husbandry authorities have deployed agricultural technicians to carry out standardised field-yield surveys.

Technical teams are selecting sample plots at different elevations and under varying growing conditions. Through plot measurement, mechanised harvesting and standardised sampling procedures, they are evaluating both the yield and quality of the crop. The resulting data are expected to provide a scientific basis for improving the barley industry and supporting stable income growth among local communities.

Jamtang has continued to expand agricultural mechanisation in recent years. Barley cultivation, field management and harvesting have increasingly become fully mechanised processes. Harvesting operations are currently underway across 11 townships and settlements in the county.

The harvested barley is first used to meet the food requirements of local residents. Surplus production is purchased by barley-processing enterprises, breweries and other local businesses, allowing agricultural products to be processed locally and generating additional value within the county.

Authorities say this approach is helping transform the plateau barley sector into an income-generating industry that supports rural revitalisation while strengthening the local agricultural economy.

Improved seed varieties have also become an important part of the county’s agricultural strategy. High-yielding, high-quality and disease-resistant varieties, including “Kunlun Black Highland Barley No. 17” and “Tibetan White Barley 2000,” have been introduced. Seed renewal and standardised field management have contributed to continued improvements in both productivity and crop quality.

According to local statistics, approximately 19,200 mu of land has been planted with highland barley in Jamtang this year. The average yield is expected to reach about 240 jin per mu, with total production estimated at around 2,300 tonnes.

Local authorities say the steady increase in productivity reflects Jamtang’s transition from traditional labour-intensive farming toward standardised, larger-scale and increasingly industrialised agricultural production.

Highland barley cultivation is now serving not only as an important source of food security, but also as a key driver of household income growth, agricultural modernisation and rural economic development in Jamtang County.