Tibet Autonomous Region in southwest China registered a bumper grain harvest for the 15th consecutive year in 2002, with total grain output topping 980,000 tons, say statistics from the regional agriculture and animal husbandry bureau.

The autonomous region's output of rape and vegetables totaled 46,000 tons and 243,000 tons respectively in 2002, as against 45,000 and 182,000 tons, respectively, for the year 2001.

The output of meat and milk was 170,000 and 240,000 tons respectively, and the per-capita income of farmers and herdsmen reached an average of 1,570 yuan (190 US dollars) for 2002, a rise of 11.8 percent over the previous year.

Zhou Chunlai, director of the autonomous region's agriculture and animal husbandry bureau, said Tibet invested 120 million yuan (14.5 million US dollars) in the construction of infrastructure facilities serving agricultural production and the development of animal husbandry in 2002.

The region also invested heavily in promoting the use of science and technology in farm production, and in the improvement of the living standards of local farmers and herdsmen, the official said.

The region's township enterprises business boomed in 2002, withtheir combined output value amounting to more than one billion yuan (120 million US dollars) last year.