Tibet turns to Nepal for cheap hay stocks

A ROW of trucks full of verdant forage grass were particularly conspicuous in Sagya County in the city of Xigaze in the Tibet Autonomous Region, as everything else was covered with thick white snow.

Fresh grass, mixed with corn, bran, soybean meal and salt, was processed into pellets to help tens of thousands of cattle and sheep in Tibet to get through the frigid winter.

The grass came from the other side of the Himalayas in Nepal’s Chitwan, where flat plains and the pleasant climate provide a superior environment.

In April, a Xigaze-based agricultural investment company invested over 17 million yuan (US$2.43) in planting and purchasing Chitwan’s grass. Over 400 tons of grass has been transported to Tibet so far.

Liu Wei, president of Tianyu International Pvt Ltd, said thanks to the short growth cycle and high yields, the price for Nepalese grass is only 1.6 yuan per kilogram including freight, cheaper than locally produced hay which costs about 2.6 yuan per kilogram.

Liu said the total investment of the project will reach 90 million yuan. When the six bases that integrate forage grass production and processing are built, the annual grass output will reach 198,000 tons, creating jobs for 30,000 Nepalis.

Farmers grow grass during the fallow season to make extra money from their land. An average income of 2,000 yuan is expected for each household.