Wine making underway in Tibet's Sangri county

Workers at a winery in Tharma village of Sangri county in the Tibet autonomous region have been busy pressing grapes, and the fragrance filled the air.

With an average altitude of 3,600 meters above sea level, Sangri county is endowed with a mild climate and moderate sunshine, so it has been growing organic grapes in the villages of Tharma, Lok, Horbothang and Drokyi in recent years.

Thanks to investment and technical support from Hunan province — one of the county's aid-Tibet projects — the area of grapes under cultivation in the county has increased from less than 1 hectare in 2011 to nearly 666 hectares now. It even received a certificate from Guinness World Records as the highest location for grape growing in the world in 2011.

The plantation also received the certificate from the regional department of agriculture and rural affairs in 2021 recognizing its green, pollution-free products.

"The harvest season for grapes and the best time for making wine are now. We finished with picking the grapes and we are busy making wine lately," Luo Minglu, a leader of the Sangri County Pakdrub Rongshun Zhuangyuan Co — which operates the business — was quoted as saying by China News Service.

Luo said the company uses a model of integrating company, grape growing and rural households in combination, and it has greatly promoted the development of the wine industry in the county.

Between 2016 and 2022, the company's cumulative grape yield reached 590 metric tons. More than 500 villagers were employed last year, with more than 2.9 million yuan ($406,000) spent on salaries.

Yangjen Lhamo, an employee, said she and her sister have been working at the company for years. They love the work as it is near their homes.

"I earn nearly 6,000 yuan monthly, and I am quite satisfied with the current job," she said. "Thanks to the good policies from the government, it is easy to get a better life if we work hard."