news bulletin – answers

Cashmere’s humble origins.

true/false

1. Cashmere is farmed in Mongolia. T
2. The farmers are aware of the high prices cashmere commands. F: they have ‘little idea’
3. The family are able to survive from farming the goats. F: they barely earn a living
4. China produces cashmere more cheaply. T
5. The family earn $2,000 per fleece. F: for a whole (last) year’s fleece
6. The price for cashmere is very stable. F: it ‘skyrockets’ and then ‘plummets’ – very unstable
7. Cashmere’s quality depends on harsh weather conditions. T (the goats grow longer coats)
8. Mongolian cashmere has the best quality. T
9. Mongolia can produce large volumes of cashmere. F: they can’t produce as much as China
10. The future of Mongolian cashmere is good. F: the grass-lands are deteriorating and the farmers are not seeing enough profit – so it is an unstable future