Note

Ikh Tamir - main points of interest

Ananda and Eric

Key points of interest

1. Not everyone agrees on whether goats cause rangeland degradation. Some people want to have more yaks and horses; but others actually blame the yaks and horses for eating vegetation indiscriminately
2. Some people blame traders (chenj), whereas others have relatives who are traders. Perception of dishonesty -- incorrectly calibrated scales, claiming that cashmere has sand in it, etc.
3. No one here buys directly on behalf of processors
4. People have heard of Green Gold, but don’t know what it is doing
5. People have different ideas about what a good level of productivity is
6. Fatter goats produce more cashmere
7. Herders depend on cashmere for about 50% of their income, but not all. Some are reliant on dairy products / yak production. Most herders would have trouble living without cashmere.
8. Mixed sheep/goat herds are advantageous from a herding perspective.
9. Different responses for how people use cash income from cashmere. Some pay off Tsagaan Sar debts, some put it to savings, some invest in consumer goods, many pay for children’s tuition.
10. Some herders buy cashmere; often they gift it to others; it is generally expensive to buy for themselves.
11. Price volatility (instability) is a widespread concern.
12. People had less to say about culture when asked directly, but are often proud of their traditions and assert that herders have “authentic” Mongolian culture.
13. Most herders were children of herders, but not all.
14. Some herders do not live year-round in the countryside.