In 2003 the per-capita income of farmers and herdsmen in Tibet reached 1,690 yuan (203.61 US dollars), an increase of 11.1 percent over the previous year's level of l,570 yuan (189.16 US dollars), according to the regional statistical bureau.

The growth rate was 6.8 percentage points higher than the national average of 4.3 percent for the per-capita income of rural areas, the bureau says.

Analysts from the bureau attributed the income growth to readjustment of planting, expanded production of animal products and farm produce and more infrastructure facilities constructed in the rural areas.

Meanwhile, scientific progress, development of township economy and diversified businesses and industrialization of agriculture also contributed to the income growth.

Last year, the regional government spent over 200 million yuan (24.09 million US dollars) on infrastructure construction projects, including irrigation facilities and grassland fences, for the rural areas. Based on the input, the region turned out 966,000 tons of grain, roughly the same as the previous-year level; and harvested 49,400 tons of rape and 257,900 tons of other vegetables, up 9.3 percent and 10.8 percent respectively.

According to statistics provided by the regional agriculture and animal husbandry authority, Tibet's output of pork, beef and mutton amounted to 190,100 tons in 2003, up 10.4 percent from the previous year.

Last year Tibetan township enterprises realized 1.25 billion yuan (150.6 million US dollars) in gross industrial output and garnered one billion yuan (120.48 million US dollars) in revenues, up 19 percent and 16 percent respectively over the year-earlier level. The income from diversified businesses reached 1.78 billion yuan (214.46 million US dollars), up 31.8 percent, the authority says.