China drives Pakistan's donkey trade: Population tops 6 million amid rising meat exports

Even as Pakistan struggles with fiscal pains, the country is witnessing a significant boom in donkey business. The latest report released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics shows that the population of donkeys in the country has crossed 6 million-mark.

And the all-weather friend China, which has invested in key infrastructure projects in the country, is also helping in Pakistan’s donkey business. The report says that Pakistan is seeing a growing demand of donkey meat from China. But it is not just the donkey meat that’s popular in China.

As per a Geo TV report, e-jiao produced in the hide of the animal is key product in Chinese market. This is a medicinal gelatin, which is a crucial ingredient in Chinese medicines.

Earlier in February, a Geo News report had mentioned how a massive slaughterhouse in Gwadar has commenced operations specifically for Chinese exports. This include donkey bones, donkey meat and e-jiao, which is needed to prepare traditional Chinese medicines.

The Donkey Sanctuary, a charity dedicated to the welfare of this animal, reported that growing demand has put pressure on the industry. Due to the sharp uptick, the estimates show 5.9 million donkey skins are needed to meet the demands of e-Jiao industry. A media report from China had mentioned e-Jiao's long history in country's Shandong province. As per the media report, the ingredient has been in the use for past 3,000 years.