HUGE machines make roaring sounds as they complete processes such as magnetic separation and impurity removal. Lhachung walks around the machines while carefully checking highland barley products in a mask and headgear.

The 32-year-old Tibetan is the director of the workshop of Tibet Zangyuan Highland Barley Technology Co. in Taktse District, Lhasa, the capital city of southwestern China’s Tibet Autonomous Region.

For his hard work and dedication to highland barley research, the man was awarded the title of “national model worker” in 2020.

Highland barley has been planted in Tibet for more than 3,500 years. The wine made from it is a local necessity and the Zanba made of its flour is a staple food for Tibetans to start the day with.

He recalled that in his childhood, his parents used to make highland barley wine.

“At that time, traditional highland barley wine was easy to turn black due to improper storage while the wine with can or glass bottle now can be kept longer and transported to other provinces like Sichuan and Jiangsu,” said Lhachung.

Lhachung is now making more highland barley products such as rice, flour and strips and introducing highland barley to the whole country and even the world.

(Xinhua)