The economy and transportation in old Tibet were very backward. There was no modem industry, only animal husbandry and a little agriculture and handicrafts. After the Democratic Reform in 1959 economic construction quickened, particularly after the implementation of the reform and opening policy in 1979. Not only were modem industries and transportation and telecommunications facilities established; the agriculture, animal husbandry and commerce already in place developed rapidly. The gross national product of the Tibet Autonomous Region hit 11.742 billion yuan in 2000, with the primary industry developing steadily, and the proportion of the secondary industry and the tertiary industry in economic total keeping increasing. Farmers and herders netted an average income of 1,331 yuan, and the local revenues reached 500 million yuan. Grain production has since 1987 been reporting bumper harvests. Grain production hit 820,000 tons in 1997, and shot to 849,800 tons in 1998 which was a record high and represented a 46.5 percent rise from the 1991 figure of 580,000 tons. Grain production totaled 96,200 tons in 2000. The industrial output value reached 1.83 billion yuan, an increase of 8.1 percent over the previous year. Investments in social fixed assets reached 66.47 billion yuan in transport, energy, communication and other infrastructural facilities, and mining and building materials sectors. In 2000, retail sales of social commodities increased further to reach 42.87 billion yuan.