Priyanka Tiwari
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Suspense crime, Digital Desk : A peculiar and highly consequential trade is booming between China and Pakistan, centered on one of the humblest of animals: the donkey. China's insatiable demand for donkeys, specifically for their hides, is creating a lucrative export market for Pakistan but simultaneously inflicting severe hardship on the country's most vulnerable populations.
The driving force behind this demand is a traditional Chinese medicine called ejiao. This gelatin, produced by boiling donkey skins, is highly valued in China and believed to offer a range of health benefits, from anti-aging properties to nourishing the blood and improving sleep. The soaring popularity of ejiao has decimated China's own donkey population, forcing it to look overseas to countries like Pakistan, which has one of the world's largest donkey populations, to source the raw material.
This massive demand has caused the price of donkeys in Pakistan to skyrocket. While this may seem like an economic boon, it is a devastating blow for millions of impoverished rural families. In many parts of Pakistan, donkeys are not just animals; they are essential partners in survival. They are the primary "beasts of burden," used for transporting goods, water, bricks, and people, enabling families to earn a meager daily wage.
As prices surge, these families can no longer afford to buy or replace their working animals. The loss of a donkey due to theft—another rising problem fueled by the high demand—or old age can plunge a family into destitution. The animal that once sustained them is now a commodity priced far beyond their reach.
The Pakistani government, seeing a major export opportunity, has even announced plans to establish official donkey farms to cater to the Chinese market. However, this national-level economic strategy overlooks the devastating local-level impact. The high-stakes international trade in donkey hides is a stark example of how global market forces can inadvertently crush the very foundation of survival for the poor, turning their most vital asset into an unaffordable luxury.
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