Barley

Barley

　　Zhaotong City has a long history of barley cultivation, with peak annual production reaching around 5 million kilograms. In the 1980s, the average annual yield remained at about 1 million kilograms. Barley is an economic crop that serves both as food and medicine. It contains a relatively comprehensive range of nutrients, including 10% protein, 2.2% fat, 78.3% carbohydrates; and it also has a rich content of minerals and vitamins. Barley tastes sweet and is slightly cool in nature, with the effects of relieving thirst and reducing heat, invigorating qi, and soothing the chest. Barley sprouts contain maltose and have the benefits of harmonizing the stomach and strengthening the spleen, aiding digestion, soothing the liver and regulating qi, helping to suppress lactation, and improving gastrointestinal function. They can be used to treat indigestion, overeating, fullness and distension of the stomach, and breast pain caused by milk stasis. Barley is also an important ingredient in brewing. With the development of the beer industry and malt production, there is a trend for barley to gradually replace wheat as the main raw material for brewing beer. When combined with corn as feed for fattening pigs, barley results in tender, firm meat with high lean content and white, solid fat. With the rise of the beer industry and the development of lean-meat pig breeding, the demand for barley is expected to increase. Barley has a short growth period and can be sown late and harvested early. With proper cultivation techniques, its yield per mu is no less than that of wheat. Barley also has advantages such as strong resistance to rust, drought tolerance, cold tolerance, and adaptability to poor soil, offering great potential for increased yield. (Zhaotong)