Xizang leads China in rural per capita income growth over 13 years

(ECNS) -- The per capita disposable income of rural residents in southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region rose from 5,698 yuan (about $848.43) in 2012 to 23,184 yuan (about $3,452.1) in 2025, representing an average annual growth rate of 11.4%, the fastest in China, according to the local Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs on Wednesday.

Despite its high altitude and harsh natural conditions, Xizang has accelerated agricultural modernization, investing 25.46 billion yuan in agriculture and animal husbandry and allocating 61.25 billion yuan in rural revitalization subsidies during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021–2025).

To date, the plateau region has developed more than 4.55 million mu (around 303,370 hectares) of high-standard farmland.

The region now grows more than 130 vegetable varieties, with annual output surpassing 1.01 million metric tons, raising the vegetable self-sufficiency rate in major cities such as Lhasa to 88% during peak seasons and bolstering local food security. 

(By Helen Mo & intern Lin Qiaochu)