The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) livestock department announced on Thursday its decision to establish donkey farms with foreign collaboration.

According to the department's officials, an important breakthrough is anticipated this year in the plan to export donkeys. The officials said that the donkey farms will be built with agreements signed with the Chinese government as well as registered companies, local media reported.

China said the department was interested in the donkey farms as the animal was a huge demand there for they were used for making furniture as well as medicines. Other foreign countries were also interested and were willing to invest $3 billion in the farms.

The officials shared that ailing, weak and paralysed donkeys will be supplied in the first phase. 80,000 donkeys will be exported in the first three years, the department added.