Supergrain quinoa thrives on plateau

An unusual-looking crop with dark-red spikes and purple-green leaves is flourishing along the banks and valleys of the Lhasa and Yarlung Zangbo rivers, despite a lasting drought on the roof of the world.

"A bumper harvest of quinoa is expected this autumn on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau," said Gongbo Tashi, a professor at the agricultural college of Tibet University, who introduced quinoa to China in the 1990s.

Quinoa has been cultivated in the Andes in South America for over 5,000 years. However, it's health benefits, such as its high protein and mineral content, have only recently garnered worldwide attention.