The Quintal del Inca is an annual alpaca-fiber contest open to all national producers, and offers an equipped ecological dwelling (The Herdsman's Cottage) as first prize. The competition admits white huacayo alpaca fiber, which is received in quintals (a quintal is 46 kilograms) and individual fleeces of black huacayo alpaca.
The fiber presented at the contest is purchased from the producers at the best price in the market and is analyzed according to different characteristics which include fiber fineness, presence of pigmented fibers, follicular density, presence of medullated fibers, and cleanness. Each of these characteristics is assigned a weighted value which is used to compute the overall score. The quintal with the highest score wins the prize.
The prize-awarding ceremony takes place at the PACOMARCA ranch where various prizes are given, in addition to demonstrations, talks, scientific lectures, and presentations of an artistic nature.
Using the very best fiber obtained in this competition, small exclusive collections of alpaca items are produced such as alpaca 16, the world's finest fiber, and all of the income they generate is destined for the development of programs carried out at the PACOMARCA ranch.