June 8, 2016 -- According to the Tibet Autonomous Region's Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Department, Zayul County of Nyingchi City is making an attempt to plant its own coffee. At present, seedling planting has been finished and the young plants are developing well. It is reported that this is the first time that coffee is planted in Tibet. If succeeded in the coffee trial planting, coffee-planting would begin in other suitable regions in order to build Tibet's own coffee brand.

 

Located in southeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Zayul County is an important border county in Tibet. With an average altitude of 2,300 meters, the area has the humid climate of Himalaya Mountains' subtropical zone. The seasons are mild, with plenty of precipitation, sunlight, and an extended frost-free period. Owning to its unique climate advantages, the region was chosen as one of the trial coffee-planting places in Tibet.

 

Dawa Dondrup, deputy director of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Department at Zayul County, said that Shama Village of Zayul County has introduced 500 grams of Yunnan Province's small-granule coffee seeds for planting. So far, the coffee seedlings grow well at the experimental planting area, which covers three square meters.

 

It is said that the quality of coffee is closely related to its growth environment, while small-granule coffee requires more on the climate and environment. "During the testing phase, plastic film and other protective measures will be used to prevent frost from affecting coffee growth, as well as to help the coffee plants survive the winter," Dawa Dondrup said.

 

Tashi Phuntsok, one of the farmers in Shama Village participating in the coffee-growing project, said, "Coffee is a very valuable crop, and I hope more farmers can increase incomes after the test is successful."

 

Dawa Dondrup said that they hope to gradually form a complete coffee industrial chain through promoting coffee-planting in more areas so as to turn "Tibetan Coffee" into a famous brand.