In Pakistan, the number of donkeys has reached over 6 million due to increased demand for meat and hides all over the world.
There are now 6.047 million donkeys in Pakistan, a rise of 109,000 from the previous year, reported the PBS, due to the increasing Chinese demand for donkey hides and meat.
Other livestock including bovine and ovine animals have also experienced major growth as shown by the PBS numbers.
According to the document, there are 47.688 million buffaloes in the country and their population rose by more than 1.38 million from the previous year.
Whereas, in smaller animals, sheep rose to 33.119 million from 32.731 million and goats went up over 2.35 million to reach 89.393 million
The number of camel heads grew slightly, amounting to 1.177 million after rising by only 14,000. The horse population also went up by 1,000 and now stands at 383,000 and the mule population increased by 3,000 to 227,000.
All in all, the number of livestock rose by 2.171 million from 575.4 million to 597.11 million during the year.
The growth in the number of animals is a sign of continued growth in the livestock sector which is very important for the country’s rural economy and food supply.
Donkey business
Because there are more donkeys in Pakistan, China is still a main market that uses their meat in food and makes e-jiao from their hides.
Earlier, there were delays in approving the protocols that were required for exports, but now those delays have been removed.
Last year, Reuters reported with the help of animal welfare and vet experts that the sale of e-jiao in China leads to the deaths of millions of donkeys annually.
According to Geo News, a slaughterhouse in Gwadar is making materials like meat, bones and hides to keep up with China’s need for e-jiao, an ethnic food.
The industry for e-jiao consumes 5.9 million donkeys every year.
The e-jiao business needs 5.9 million donkey skins every year and this high demand affects donkey populations worldwide, as reported by The Donkey Sanctuary in February.
There are records that show e-jiao has been used in northern Shandong province for more than three thousand years, according to China Daily. About 90% of China’s e-jiao is produced in this province, the agency stated.
It is known as a symbol of Chinese culture and is recognized as an important part of the traditional Chinese medicine industry by the country’s official media.
