The warm winter in China's capital Beijing this year has resulted in the postponed opening of its many ski fields, which experts said will cut almost 20 percent income for these ski fields.

As the lowest temperature in Beijing dropped to under Zero due to recent freezing air, many ski fields located in suburb Beijing opened business around this week, but the opening came almost two weeks later than last year.

China's weather forecast center said the country is experiencing the 19th warm winter this year, with the average temperature in the north about 2-4 centigrade higher than that of the same period last year.

"We opened our ski field last week, already 15-days later than last year, but the machines' speed in making snow is even lower than the snow's thaw speed in case of the warm weather," said Wang Wenqin, general manager of Yunfo Mount Ski Field in Miyun County of Beijing.

"I hope the temperature at night may keep lower than two centigrade under zero," said Wang Shitong, general manager of Jundu Mount Ski Field. According to Wang, if the night temperature is higher than two centigrade under zero, the snow-making machine will fail to work.

Experts said every year there are only three-month period proper for the running of ski fields in Beijing. The two-week delay for opening means a reduction of one-sixth clients for these ski fields, amounting to 20 percent of their total income in a year.

To reduce the losses, many ski fields in Beijing have raised the prices for skiing this winter, while still four ski fields had to close down recently for high costs of running.

Experts said the number of ski fields in China may reduce in the future as the competition pricks up and the government to lift the threshold for new ski fields in order to regular the market.

Statistics from China Skiing Association said that currently there are nearly 200 public ski fields in 17 provinces and municipalities, which attracted over two million skiing fans last year.

(Xinhua News Agency December 21, 2004)