China’s booming demand for donkey skins drives African trade surge
A new book by Lauren Johnston explores the rapid growth of China's demand for donkey skins over the past 15 years, driven by the traditional medicine ejiao. This demand has fueled a significant trade with African countries, where donkey populations are impacted. The ejiao market has expanded from medicinal use to a variety of consumer products, with prices soaring in China.
Brève Publié le (Africa/Lagos, UTC+1)
China’s demand for donkey skins has surged dramatically in the last 15 years, primarily to produce ejiao, a traditional Chinese medicine made from donkey skin gelatin. According to Lauren Johnston, an expert on China-Africa trade, this demand is almost exclusively from China and has led to a booming trade with African countries.
Ejiao is used as a blood tonic and to treat various ailments, historically consumed by Chinese elites but now widespread among tens of millions of consumers. Its production has industrialized recently, expanding beyond medicine into products like cakes, drinks, cosmetics, and wellness items.
Johnston’s new book, China, Africa and the Market for Donkeys, details how the ejiao market has grown, with prices for high-end products skyrocketing, surpassing even real estate price increases in major Chinese cities during the 2000s and 2010s. This growth has significant implications for African donkey populations and trade dynamics between the continent and China.