Donkey skin sector needs tonic of supply

A shortage of donkey hides used to produce the traditional Chinese medicine ejiao has resulted in a deluge of imitations, with around 40 percent likely to be fake. Donkey-hide gelatin, known as ejiao in Chinese, is made by boiling the donkey's skin and refining the results into a tonic.

Ejiao is mainly taken by women who suffer from anemia, dry coughs or dizziness. The name was coined in Dong'e county in East China's Shandong province, where it was originally produced.

Around 5,000 tons of ejiao are produced annually in China, according to figures released by Shandong Ejiao Trade Association.