In mid-May, the first Cashmere Road Show took place in Panjsher Province, with participation from both U.S. and Afghan government officials. Last year, the USG-funded Accelerating Sustainable Agriculture Program (ASAP) visited villages in Panjsher and taught 2,700 herders and their families how to comb, collect, and clean cashmere. This event celebrated the success of the past training efforts, and 25 to 30 herders showed up with samples of their cashmere to sell. Their efforts were well rewarded as eager buyers bought all the offered cashmere on contract. The cashmere sellers were paid about $13.50 per kilogram, the average output from four Panjsher goats. The estimated number of cashmere goats in the province is about 25,000.