Cattle traders in Karamoja, Uganda have turned to dealing in donkeys because of the newfound interest and rise in price of the animal.
Trade in donkeys is currently booming in the pastoralist communities of Karamoja, and Turkana in Kenya.
The high demand for donkeys comes from Chinese traders who deal in donkey products in Lodwa Town in Turkana County, around 140 kilometres from Moroto Town in Uganda.
This new demand has seen traders who were previously dealing in cattle to change to trading in donkey meat, hides and skins.
On a good trading day, one can sell a minimum of four donkeys making around Shs 4 million ($1,101).
Trade in donkeys has greatly affected the prices of other livestock such as cows, goats, sheep and camels.
Currently, a big donkey weighing around 100 kilogrammes or more is sold for over Shs 1 million ($275), whilst a cow will go for as low as Shs 400,000 ($11).
Mr Patrick Okello, a trader who used to deal in cows but now trades in donkeys, told local media that they are getting more profit from donkeys.
“We are making good profit from donkeys because when you have seven donkeys you are sure of pocketing Shs 10 million [$2,754],” he said.
Jing Long, one of the Chinese dealing in skin products of the donkeys, told Daily Monitor that they are particularly interested in the donkey’s skin because of its medicinal values.
The Chinese buy donkey hides which they boil to produce gelatine, one of the key ingredients in a medicine called ejiao. Ejiao is used to treat conditions such as anaemia, heavy menstruation periods, as well as dry coughs.
Because the donkey is mostly wanted for this fact, Long stated that a donkey’s skin could go for between kSh1.3 million ($358) and KSh 1.4 million ($386).
