LAHORE: Pakistan’s first export of donkey meat to China from the Gwadar Free Zone opened a new avenue for livestock exports and marking another milestone under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The maiden shipment produced in Gwadar Free Zone entered the Chinese market after clearing customs at Tianjin Port, advancing agricultural trade and the second phase. The shipment was processed at purpose-built slaughterhouse established by Chinese firm Hengeng Trading Enterprise in the Gwadar North Free Zone. The company has invested $50 million in the facility, which is dedicated to processing donkey meat and hides exclusively for export.
The food product manufactured in the Gwadar Free Zone to reach the Chinese market was said to bring major investment as Ministry of National Food Security and Research, the CPEC Authority, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal supported implementation.
The breakthrough follows years of regulatory coordination between Islamabad and Beijing. Two years back, Islamabad and Beijing finalized required export protocols for donkey meat and hides. Pakistan later amended its export policy to permit shipments from approved slaughterhouses operating in the Gwadar Free Zone.
Before exports could begin, Hengeng secured all necessary veterinary, quarantine, and customs clearances from Pakistani authorities as well as China’s General Administration of Customs, paving the way for the first commercial shipment.
The project is part of broader efforts under CPEC to promote value-added livestock exports, attract foreign investment, and generate employment opportunities in Gwadar. Officials believe the initiative could open new avenues for Pakistan’s livestock sector by expanding access to one of the world’s largest markets for donkey-based products.
China is among the world’s leading importers of donkey meat and donkey hides. Donkey hides are in particularly high demand for the production of Ejiao, a traditional Chinese medicinal product derived from donkey hide gelatin, while donkey meat is also consumed in several regions of the country.
The meat export to China spotlighted growing market fueled by China’s food and traditional medicine industries. Donkey meat is considered a delicacy in several Chinese provinces, while donkey hides are used to produce Ejiao, a traditional medicinal product made from donkey-hide gelatin.
With China’s domestic donkey population declining due to mechanization, the country increasingly relied on imports to meet demand. Pakistan’s entry into this market through the Gwadar Free Zone is expected to strengthen bilateral agricultural trade, attract investment, create jobs, and expand the country’s value-added livestock exports under CPEC.
