Pakistani official highlights donkey industry ties with China

Pakistani official highlights donkey industry ties with China at an international donkey industry conference in Liaocheng, China.

Dr. Muhammad Akram, animal husbandry commissioner at Pakistan’s Ministry of National Food Security and Research, highlighted the potential for Pakistan’s donkey industry and animal husbandry to become globally competitive with China’s assistance during an international donkey industry conference in Liaocheng, Shandong province, China. He expressed optimism about forging a strong partnership with China, noting Shandong’s pioneering role in innovative agriculture and its well-established donkey industry.

Dong’e County, known for its Dong’e black donkeys and as the origin of Ejiao, has created a comprehensive industry model encompassing large-scale breeding, scientific reproduction, production and processing, specialized catering, and wellness tourism. This model has driven the success of Dong’e Ejiao Co., Ltd., which reported a 26.28% year-on-year revenue increase to 4.329 billion yuan in the first three quarters of this year, largely due to rising demand for ejiao, a traditional Chinese medicine derived from donkey hide.

In response to growing demand for donkey meat and hides in China, Pakistan plans to begin exporting these products to China by year-end. The Shandong Ejiao Association estimates that the annual ejiao production of over 5,000 tons requires roughly 4 million donkey hides. Moreover, Pakistan, with its population of 5.2 million donkeys and growing livestock sector, is well-positioned to help address this supply gap.

International donkey industry cooperation

Moreover, to support this collaboration, a signing ceremony for international donkey industry cooperation projects was held at the conference. Notably, Dong’e Ejiao Co., Ltd. signed a letter of intent for collaboration with Cholistan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences and Yuanhua Industrial Co., Ltd. This agreement aims to enhance Pakistan’s capacity for exporting donkey products, boosting the industry’s competitiveness and quality on the global stage.

Dr. Akram also emphasized that such partnerships are essential for developing a sustainable, welfare-focused, and economically viable livestock industry in Pakistan.