Traditional spring ploughing ceremony held in Lhasa, China’s Tibet (4)

Farmers take part in a traditional spring ploughing ceremony in Sbyr Gzhi village in Lhasa, capital city of southwest China's Tibet autonomous region, March 16. (People’s Daily Online/Yire)

Farmers in Sbyr Gzhi village, Chengguan district in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet autonomous region, took part in a ceremony on March 16 to mark the start of spring ploughing. The ceremony is a traditional custom in which locals pray for a good harvest.

The per capita disposable income for 1,090 farmers from 266 households in Sbyr Gzhi village rose noticeably last year. Lobsang Tsering, a resident of the village, attributed the income growth partly to the adoption of modern agricultural machinery.

Chengguan district has a total area of 6,780.4 mu (452 hectares) of cultivated land, including 729 mu for grains and 4,465.4 mu for cash crops.

To secure a good harvest year, the district’s bureau of agriculture and rural affairs has taken measures to ensure timely spring farming. To date, 50 tons of chemical fertilizers and 1.7 tons of pesticides have been allocated for spring ploughing. The district’s agricultural and animal husbandry bureau has sent technicians to the fields to provide technical services for farmers.