KP govt decides to establish donkey farms

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa livestock department on Thursday decided to establish donkey farms in DI Khan and Maneshra as part of its donkey export plan.

The donkey farms will be established with foreign partnership, according to the livestock department. “Agreements will be signed with the Chinese government as well as registered companies,” the officials in the provincial department added.

“An important breakthrough is expected this year in the plan to export donkeys. In the first phase, ailing, weak and paralysed donkeys will be supplied,” livestock department officials shared.

According to the livestock department, “In the first three years, 80,000 donkeys will be exported. Donkeys are bred in farms in 2.5 to 3 years.”

“Chinese companies are interested in donkey farms and foreign companies are ready to invest $3 billion in them,” the officials further said.

“Over 70,000 households in the province are dependent on donkeys for their source of income, thus we want to sign agreements after thinking carefully as we do not want a scarcity of the animals in the province," the officials continued.

The livestock department officials said donkeys are used for making medicines as well as furniture and their hair is in huge demand in China.