Pakistan all set to export donkey meat, hides to China as China is seen as a vital market.

Pakistan is preparing to export donkey meat and hides to China after both countries signed an agreement during Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang’s visit.

The agreement, signed between Pakistan’s Ministry of National Food Security and Research (M/o NFS&R) and China’s General Administration of Customs (GACC), sets quarantine requirements for these exports.

With an estimated donkey population of 5.9 million, Pakistan sees China as a key market, where donkey meat is used in cuisine and to produce Ejiao, a traditional Chinese medicine. Exports were previously delayed due to the absence of this protocol, which has now been finalized.

Following the signing, companies involved in the trade, such as Hangeng Group, will need to register. Hangeng Group plans to build a donkey slaughterhouse in the Gwadar Free Zone to process up to 216,000 donkeys annually for meat and hides, boosting foreign investment under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Donkey farms have been established across Pakistan, and the Ministry is currently reviewing the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for farm registration. Previously, Pakistan imported donkey hides from African countries for processing and re-export, but this practice was stopped in November 2023 due to objections from GACC.