The cashmere goat industry is a major driver of regional economic development in Hanggin Banner, North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, and has greatly increased the incomes of local herdsmen.

Hanggin Banner raised more than 1.7 million cashmere goats throughout the year, accounting for more than 70 percent of the total livestock in the banner.

Its annual cashmere output is about 600 metric tons, with an output value of about 140 million yuan ($19.97 million), accounting for more than 60 percent of the banner's animal husbandry industry.

After nearly 30 years of crossbreeding and selection, the production performance, cashmere quality, body size, weight, meat quality, and reproductive performance of the banner's cashmere goats have been improved.

The fineness of cashmere has reached 14.2 microns and the cashmere output from a single exemplary adult ram has reached 2,300 grams, while that for an adult ewe stands at 2,000 grams.

The average cashmere thickness of a local cashmere goat is 7.5 cm.

Cashmere produced in the banner is known as a "natural fiber gemstone", and its various properties have reached the nationally-advanced level.

Especially in the past three years, locally-produced cashmere goats have participated in district and city cashmere goat beauty contests, and have won a total of 20 honors.

Their rising popularity has attracted customers from 14 provinces and autonomous regions, including Gansu, Xinjiang, Liaoning, and Hebei, and the per capita income of farmers and herdsmen in the cashmere goat industry in the banner has exceeded 10,000 yuan.