Shangri-La Highland Barley

Shangri-La Highland Barley

Shangri-La Highland Barley is a product certified with a Geographical Indication for Agricultural Products.

　　Highland barley, known in English as hulless barley, is a cereal crop belonging to the genus Hordeum of the grass family Poaceae. It is a staple food crop for farmers and herders in the Tibetan regions of Yunnan. Because its inner and outer husks separate and the grain is exposed, it is also called naked barley, tartary barley, or rice barley. Highland barley has a long cultivation history on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, dating back 3,500 years. According to the Zhongdian County Annals, it has been cultivated for about 1,500 years. Highland barley is mainly distributed across Tibet, Qinghai, Diqing Prefecture in Yunnan, and Ganzi and Aba Prefectures in Sichuan. Shangri-La Highland Barley is produced in Shangri-La County, Weixi County, and Deqen County of the Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province. Originally named “Zhongdian Highland Barley,” it was named after the former Zhongdian County. In December 2001, with approval from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Zhongdian County was renamed Shangri-La County. Shangri-La Highland Barley is a staple food and source of dietary fiber for ethnic minorities in the cold, high-altitude, oxygen-scarce Tibetan region, mainly grown at elevations above 2,800 meters. It serves as a basic food grain for local Tibetans and can be used to brew beverages and make various foods, enjoying widespread popularity among consumers. During the long winter months, barley straw provides essential forage for livestock. Hence, since ancient times, Shangri-La Highland Barley has held an extremely important place in the lives of people in the highland Tibetan region. It has formed a certain scale of production in Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and is one of the economic crops that enhance agricultural efficiency and increase farmers' income. With advancements in technology, economic development, and rising living standards, Shangri-La Highland Barley is evolving from a regional staple to a global health food source. Shangri-La Highland Barley is cultivated using traditional, locally heritage varieties that Tibetan communities have planted for generations. The selected varieties—including Longhei Highland Barley, Duanbai Highland Barley, Qinghai Yellow, Yunqing No.1, Yunqing No.2, and JiuGe—are chosen for their quality, high yield, adaptability, lodging resistance, disease resistance, ease of processing, suitability for local cultivation, and alignment with market demand. Shangri-La Highland Barley is rich and comprehensive in nutritional content, containing high fiber, high vitamins, low fat, low sugar, and various trace elements with multiple physiological benefits. It helps resist the cold, boost strength, and build health, while also preventing diabetes, improving immunity, regulating physiological rhythms, cleansing the intestines, promoting bowel movements, and removing toxins from the body. It remains a primary food and source of dietary fiber for people in the cold, high-altitude, oxygen-scarce Tibetan areas. It has also been recognized by modern medicine as one of the most ideal health-promoting cereal crops of the 21st century. With the economic development of Diqing, a variety of barley-based alcoholic drinks and food products made from Shangri-La Highland Barley have gained strong consumer favor. Therefore, Shangri-La Highland Barley has become an important economic crop driving the economic development of Diqing.

　　Shangri-La Highland Barley is a specialty of Shangri-La County in Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. Tibetan farmers in Shangri-La generally do not use pesticides or chemical fertilizers when growing barley, making it one of the cleanest grains on Earth. The barley is characterized by “three highs, two lows, and rich selenium”—high protein, high fiber, high vitamins, low fat, low sugar, and rich in selenium. Shangri-La Highland Barley is a nationally protected product with Geographical Indication for Agricultural Products.

　　Highland barley, called “Nai” in Tibetan, known in English as hulless barley, is a cereal crop of the genus Hordeum. Also called naked barley, tartary barley, or rice barley, it is mainly produced in the high-altitude cold regions of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau—such as Tibet, Qinghai, Sichuan, and Shangri-La in Yunnan—at elevations between 2,800 and 4,500 meters. It is a staple food for Tibetan people and the main ingredient in tsampa, one of the “Four Treasures of Tibetan Food.” Its cultivation history in Tibetan areas exceeds 3,500 years.

　　Shangri-La is located in northwestern Yunnan, between 98°25′–100°19′ east longitude and 26°52′–29°16′ north latitude. It lies on the southern extension of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, at the junction of Yunnan, Sichuan, and Tibet. The area features an inland monsoon plateau climate, with long winters and short summers. Winters are harsh and dry. The average elevation is 3,380 meters, with an annual average temperature of 5.4°C, a maximum temperature of 25.4°C, and a minimum of –27.4°C. The area receives 2,191 hours of sunshine annually and 606.3 mm of rainfall. Soils vary vertically with altitude, featuring deep layers of coarse organic matter and humus, high organic content, and fertile, deep soil. These unique climatic and soil conditions provide excellent growth conditions for highland barley, making it one of the best barley-producing regions in China. Additionally, Shangri-La has well-preserved ecology with no pollution from modern industrial “three wastes.” As local Tibetan farmers rarely use pesticides or chemical fertilizers, Shangri-La Highland Barley is one of the cleanest grains on Earth.

　　Since ancient times, Shangri-La has used highland barley as both a food and medicine to help prevent and treat diabetes, high blood pressure, constipation, stomach disorders, physical weakness, and more. Tibetan barley wine is also used for health maintenance and treating postpartum weakness in women. Modern science confirms that highland barley has the “three highs, two lows, and rich selenium” characteristics—high protein, high fiber, high vitamins, low fat, low sugar, and rich in selenium.

　　As the “Number One Treasure of Shangri-La,” highland barley has been developed by the Shangri-La Highland Barley Resource Development Co., Ltd. into a series of products under the brand “ShiangYiChu” (香一处), including highland barley rice, barley noodles, self-raising barley flour, barley biscuits, tsampa, yak energy bars, and highland barley mooncakes. This treasure has emerged from the mountains, and we hope those who recognize its value will come across it. May Shangri-La’s Number One Treasure—highland barley—add a boost to your health and contribute to your happiness.

　　In 2013, the “Shangri-La Highland Barley” application submitted by the Diqing Shangri-La Highland Barley Industry Association passed the review by the Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Center of the Ministry of Agriculture and expert evaluation, resulting in its registration and protection under the National Geographical Indication for Agricultural Products.

　　Geographical Scope

　　The production area of Shangri-La Highland Barley is located within Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, covering Shangri-La County, Weixi County, and Deqen County. Within Shangri-La County, it involves 11 townships: Xiaozhongdian, Jiantang, Jinjiang, Hutiaoxia, Dongwang, Luoji, Shangjiang, Sanba, Nixi, WuJing, and Guzan. Weixi County includes 9 townships: Yezhi, Taxiang, Yongchun, Pantiangge, Baijixun, Kangpu, Badi, Zhonglu, and Weiden. Deqen County covers 8 townships: Shengping, Benzilan, Foshan, Yunling, Yanmen, Tuoding, Xiario, and Yangla. Geographic coordinates range between 90°35′–100°19′ east longitude and 26°52′–29°16′ north latitude, spanning 498 kilometers from north to south and 394 kilometers from east to west. The total planting area is 10,000 hectares, with an annual yield of 30,000 tons.