「牛马都不缺，就缺驴」！中国商人正满世界找驴

Core Viewpoint - The article highlights the significant decline in donkey populations in China, juxtaposed with the increasing demand for donkey hides in the ejiao industry, leading to a global search for donkeys, particularly in Africa and Central Asia [4][6][7]. Group 1: Historical Context and Current Trends - In the early 1990s, China was the world's largest donkey-raising country with a peak population of 11.2 million, accounting for a quarter of the global total. However, by 2023, the population had plummeted to approximately 1.46 million [4][6]. - The demand for ejiao, a traditional Chinese medicine made from donkey hides, has surged, necessitating the slaughter of over a million donkeys annually, with the shortfall being met through imports [6][7]. Group 2: Global Sourcing of Donkeys - Chinese merchants have expanded their search for donkeys to Central Asia and Africa due to the limited supply in neighboring countries like Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, where initial imports began in 2016 and 2019, respectively [6][7][9]. - The top five donkey-raising countries now include Ethiopia, Sudan, Pakistan, Chad, and Mexico, with three of them being African nations. This shift has led to rising prices and declining populations in African countries, such as Burkina Faso and Kenya, where donkey prices increased by over 60% from 2014 to 2016 [7][9]. Group 3: Challenges in Donkey Breeding - The slow reproductive rate of donkeys poses a challenge for increasing their population. A donkey's gestation period lasts 1 to 1.5 years, and they can only produce about 10 offspring in their lifetime, which significantly limits population growth [10].