Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
In Pakistan’s livestock markets, humble donkeys have turned into unexpected gold—selling for five times their previous price, fueled by a booming, and controversial, Chinese demand.
Behind China's quiet health craze lies ejiao: a traditional remedy boiling down thousands of donkey skins into gelatin, now sparking an unlikely economic frenzy in rural Pakistan.
As prices soar, Pakistani laborers who depend on donkeys for survival face a grim choice: sell their only asset for quick cash—or lose their means of making a living.
Chinese investors are eyeing direct control with plans to build industrial-scale donkey farms in Pakistan. Jobs may follow—but so might dependency, protests, and new ethical dilemmas.
Once China’s top skin suppliers, African nations shut the door on donkey exports. Now, Pakistan is filling the vacuum—though its own people may soon feel the pinch.
Donkeys now fetch higher prices than some motorbikes in Pakistani markets. It’s a seller’s dream, but a nightmare for the poor who can't afford to buy one back.
Promoted in glossy Chinese wellness circles, ejiao promises everything from glowing skin to anemia relief—but the path to luxury is paved with rural sacrifice.
New Pakistan-China agreements formalize a booming skin trade. But are these deals modern partnerships—or quiet extractions of national resources under the guise of health?
The trade isn't just about animals—it's about power, poverty, and global health myths. Who gets richer, who gets left behind, and why nobody’s really talking about it.