ISLAMABAD  -  With China’s support, Pakistan’s donkey industry and animal husbandry have the potential to become competitive in the global market, bringing shared prosperity to the region, said Dr Muhammad Akram, Animal Husbandry Commissioner at Pakistan’s Ministry of National Food Security and Research, at an international donkey industry conference in Liaocheng, Shandong province, China.

Donkey industry cooperation projects signing ceremony at the 9th Donkey Industry Development Conference (Photo provided by Pakistan’s Ministry of National Food Security and Research) Akram expressed optimism for a robust partnership with China to advance this vision.

He noted that Shandong is a pioneer in innovative agriculture and animal husbandry, with the donkey industry being a crucial part of animal husbandry and a traditional strength of the province.

Dong’e County, famed as the hometown of Ejiao and Dong’e black donkeys, has developed a comprehensive industry model that integrates large-scale breeding, scientific reproduction, production and processing, specialty catering and wellness tourism.

The model has shown success, with Dong’e Ejiao Co Ltd, a leading industry player, reporting revenue of 4.329 billion yuan in the first three quarters of this year, up 26.28 percent year-on-year, largely driven by the growing demand for ejiao, a traditional Chinese medicine made from donkey hide.

With rising demand for donkey meat and hides in China, Pakistan plans to export both products to China by the end of this year, Gwadar Pro reported on Friday.

According to the Shandong Ejiao Association, the annual production of ejiao exceeds 5,000 tons, requiring approximately 4 million donkey hides.

While China faces a notable supply shortage, Pakistan, with its estimated 5.2 million donkeys and an expanding livestock sector, stands ready to tap into this profitable market.

To facilitate such cooperation, a signing ceremony for international donkey industry cooperation projects was held during the conference.

Notably, Dong’e Ejiao Co Ltd signed a letter of intent for cooperation in the donkey industry with Cholistan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences and Yuanhua Industrial Co Ltd.

The agreement aims to bolster the export capacity of Pakistan’s donkey industry, ultimately elevating the quality and competitiveness of Pakistani donkey products within the global marketplace.

Akram highlighted the importance of these partnerships, stating that they would help Pakistan achieve its goal of developing a sustainable, welfare-oriented and economically viable livestock industry.