Pakistan’s donkey population has risen to 5.9 million in the fiscal year 2023-24. The Economic Survey, presented today, shows an increase of 100,000 donkeys over the past year, bringing the total to 5.9 million. This number has been steadily rising over the years: there were 5.5 million donkeys in 2019-2020, 5.6 million in 2020-21, 5.7 million in 2021-22, and 5.8 million in 2022-23.
The survey also included data on other livestock. The cattle population has grown to 57.5 million, buffalos to 46.3 million, sheep to 32.7 million, and goats to 87 million.
The number of horses and mules has remained unchanged for the last five years at 0.4 million and 0.2 million, respectively. However, the camel population has slightly increased from 1.1 million to 1.2 million in the past year.
Livestock farming is crucial to Pakistan’s rural economy, with over 8 million rural families involved in it. This sector is vital for these families, providing about 35-40 percent of their total income.
In the larger economic picture, the livestock sector is the main driver of agricultural growth, contributing about 60.84 percent of the agricultural value added and 14.63 percent of the national GDP in FY2024.
The gross value addition of the livestock sector has increased, reaching Rs 5,804 billion in 2023-24 from Rs 5,587 billion in 2022-23, a growth rate of 3.9 percent. Additionally, the sector’s net foreign exchange earnings account for about 1.6 percent of the country’s total exports.
