Pakistan has reversed a decade-long prohibition on the export of donkey skins, a move poised to tap into a lucrative but controversial international market where an estimated 5.9 million of the animals are slaughtered annually to meet soaring demand for traditional Chinese remedies.

The Ministry of Commerce issued a formal notification on Friday, officially lifting the restriction on the trade of equine hides. This decision overturns a moratorium that was first imposed by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) on September 3, 2015.

This policy shift comes as the nation’s donkey population has shown a significant increase. Recent data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics reveals that the number of these animals has swelled by 109,000 in the past year, bringing the total count to 6.047 million from a previous 5.938 million.

The primary driver for the international demand for these skins is their use in China to produce gelatin, a substance believed to possess health and anti-aging properties. International reports indicate the hides are boiled to extract this gelatin, which is then converted into powders, tablets, or liquid supplements for consumption.

A welfare organization has highlighted the immense scale of this global trade, estimating that at least 5.9 million donkeys are culled each year to satisfy the growing appetite for this product. Projections suggest that the demand is expected to continue its upward trajectory in the coming years.