Pakistan emerges as new donkey supplier to China: report

Pakistan is increasingly becoming a supplier of donkeys to China, driven by the surging demand for donkey hides used in traditional Chinese medicine. This emerging export market for Pakistan stems from a declining domestic supply and China's growing appetite for donkey hides, which are integral to producing ejiao, a collagen-rich gelatin widely utilized in traditional Chinese medicine.

Bloomberg reported that China's ejiao market was valued at approximately $7.8 billion in 2021, with estimates suggesting that between 2.3 million and 4.8 million donkeys are slaughtered worldwide annually for their hides. As the domestic donkey population dwindles in China, the world's second-largest economy is turning to overseas markets, including Pakistan, Brazil, and Australia, for its donkey supply needs.

Pakistan boasts an estimated donkey population exceeding six million, making it a significant source for China, which consumes donkey meat in cuisine and for producing ejiao. In October 2024, Pakistan and China signed a protocol during Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang's visit, detailing quarantine requirements for exporting donkey meat and hides.

In April 2025, the Pakistani government announced plans to boost trade by establishing commercial donkey breeding and processing facilities in Gwadar, a project supported by Chinese enterprises under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). A Chinese entrepreneur, Andy Liao, launched a slaughterhouse in Gwadar in July 2026, aiming to process up to 216,000 donkeys annually and generate around $5 million in foreign-exchange earnings monthly.

The company, Hangeng Group, has invested over $50 million in Pakistan over the past six years and employs about 500 local workers. The Prime Ministers of China and Pakistan agreed in July 2026 on an annual export target of 200,000 donkeys, with estimates suggesting that this could yield between $375 and $400 million in foreign exchange annually by fiscal year 2026-27.