Recently, five tons of  highland barley from southwest China's Tibet were exported to America, marking the first time this crop was exported overseas, and the first time Tibet exported products to America.

Highland barley is a main food source for residents of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

The region's low temperature and lack of oxygen are able to cultivate the unique qualities of highland barley.

Research has shown that the crop is great for lowering blood fats, lowering cholesterol, as well as for preventing cardiovascular disease and diabetes, etc.

Tsewang Nyima, a Tibetan who came back from living abroad, is hoping to explore the American market with this crop.

Three years ago, he had the idea of exporting highland barley, and began looking for ways to get organic certification for the crop.

During this time, he researched in all the major growth sites for highland barley in Tibet.

Tsewang Nyima said, “When we exported the highland barley, for the first time ever, we used a third-party agency recognized by the Certification and Accreditation Administration of China. We tested the highland barley's level of heavy metals, leftover pesticides, nutritional content and more, all 400 of which met China's national export standards for agricultural products.”

Tsewang Nyima hopes that the processing of highland barley in Tibet will eventually have mechanization from planting, harvesting, to threshing, which will also help expedite exporting.

He believes that the pure and unpolluted highland barley of Tibet will be recognized by the overseas market.
 

Editor: Tommy Tan.