The largest logistics center on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, known as the roof of the world, began operation on Monday in Nagqu County.

The center, about 300 km from Lhasa, capital of Tibet, covers an area of 533 hectares in Nagqu, a region with an altitude of 4,500 meters. Its construction cost 1.5 billion yuan (US$219 million).

The project will help animal husbandry development mineral exploitation in Nagqu, said Lu Yongzhong, general manager of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway Corporation.

The center is expected to handle 2.2 million tonnes of cargo by 2015 and 3.1 million tonnes by 2020, including raw minerals, local herbs, building materials and commodity goods, he said.

"We invested 26 million yuan in building a meat production factory here. The output value is expected to reach 130 million yuan every year," said Yang Jing, board chairman of Lhasa Tian'en Technology Development Co. Ltd.

"It will promote stock-breeding development and increase the income of farmers and herdsmen," Yang said.

(Xinhua News Agency August 18, 2009)