Donkey farming holds high potential in Pakistan
Pakistan’s investment climate is primarily dominated by mining, tourism or energy ventures, mostly under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). However, hidden right under our noses, in the livestock sector, lies an unexpected opportunity that has caught the attention of policymakers, Chinese investors, and entrepreneurs alike: donkey farming.
Once viewed only as a beast of burden, the donkey today stands at the centre of a growing international market. This shift is driven largely by Chinese demand for donkey hides, used in producing ‘ejiao’, a traditional medicine believed to carry health benefits. For Pakistan, which has around 5.9 million working donkeys, this presents an unconventional but potentially lucrative economic avenue.
Until recently, the idea of developing a formal donkey industry in Pakistan would have been unimaginable. In 2015, the Economic Coordination Council imposed a ban on donkey hide exports after revelations that donkey meat was being sold as beef and mutton in local markets. That policy, however, has now been reversed.
The government has authorised the resumption of donkey hide exports, albeit under strict conditions. A notification dated October 02, 2025, amended the Export Policy Order to allow exports only through designated slaughterhouses in the Gwadar Free Zone (GFZ). By restricting exports to a regulated zone, the authorities aim to balance oversight with economic and investment opportunity.
The blooming industry could become an........
© Dawn Business
