Pakistan's 1st large-scale donkey processing facility begins operations

February 07, 2025 (MLN): A new slaughterhouse in Gwadar has commenced operations to meet the rising demand for donkey meat, bones, and hides in China, primarily for the production of e-jiao, a traditional Chinese remedy.

During a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Food Security, chaired by Rana Muhammad Hayat, it was revealed that Pakistan and China have signed an agreement for the export of donkey by-products.

A Chinese company has already started its operations in Gwadar, signaling a new development in this niche export sector, according to the press release issued.

When asked why live donkeys were not being exported, MNFSR officials noted that logistical challenges make the export of by-products more feasible.

The committee was also informed of increasing interest from Chinese companies in setting up additional donkey slaughterhouses across Pakistan.

Highlighting the decline in domestic use of donkeys due to modernization, Hayat suggested that selective breeding should be promoted to maintain their population for economic benefit.

Pakistan’s donkey population is approximately 5.9 million, with China being a significant market for donkey-derived products like e-jiao, which is used in cuisine and traditional medicine.

The export initiative had previously faced delays due to protocol issues, which have now been resolved.

According to Reuters, the growing demand for e-jiao in China is contributing to the large-scale slaughter of donkeys worldwide.

E-jiao, made from collagen in donkey hides, is popular among China's elites for its supposed health benefits, including improved blood circulation and immune support.

Historically favored by the Qing dynasty, e-jiao has seen a surge in demand due to its portrayal in popular media and the rise of China's middle class.

The Donkey Sanctuary estimates that the e-jiao industry requires around 5.9mn donkey skins annually, impacting global donkey populations.

E-jiao has a 3,000-year history in Shandong province, which produces about 90% of the country’s supply.

The industry is dominated by four major companies, with Dong-E-E-Jiao leading at 60% of the market share.

China’s donkey population has fallen more than 80% to just under 2mn from 11mn in 1992, prompting its e-jiao industry to source donkey skins from overseas.

In recent years, China has begun looking to countries such as Pakistan and Afghanistan to source donkey skin.

Most donkey skins shipped from Pakistan to China are part of an undercover trade, said Muhammad A Kavesh, director of the South Asia Research Institute at the Australian National University.

For instance, in 2022 in Karachi, a shipment was seized carrying almost 10 metric tonnes of donkey skins to Hong Kong.

The shipment was initially declared as carrying salt and handkerchiefs, Kavesh said.

Unlike pigs and cows, however, donkeys are very slow to reproduce, say animal experts.

Females, known as Jennies, are pregnant for around 11-14.5 months and then typically give birth to just a single foal.

Establishing a farming system capable of supplying the full 5.9mn skins required annually to make e-jiao could take more than two decades, said The Donkey Sanctuary.

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