HS Code
020500
Last Updated
2026-04-16
Key takeaways for search and sourcing teams
- Donkey Meat market coverage spans 66 countries.
- 53 exporter companies and 31 importer companies are indexed in the global supply chain intelligence network for this product.
- 16,059 supplier-linked transactions are summarized across the top 5 countries.
- 0 premium suppliers and 0 catalog items are currently listed.
- Wholesale sample entries: 0; farmgate sample entries: 0.
- Latest reference year in this page dataset is 2024.
- Page data last updated on 2026-04-16.
Global Supplier Transactions, Export Activity, and Price Benchmarks for Donkey Meat
Analyze 16,059 supplier-linked transactions across the top 5 countries, with monthly unit-price benchmarks to track export competitiveness and sourcing risk for Donkey Meat.
Donkey Meat Country YoY Change in Supplier Transactions and Export Momentum
Compare positive and negative YoY shifts in Donkey Meat to identify accelerating supplier markets and weakening export corridors.
Top YoY shifts for Donkey Meat: United States (+320.2%), Argentina (+68.0%), Belgium (+26.3%).
Donkey Meat Country-Level Supplier Transaction and Unit Price Summary
As of 2025-05, benchmark Donkey Meat country transaction counts with monthly unit price and volume to prioritize supplier and export markets.
In 2025-10, countries with visible Donkey Meat transaction unit prices: Belgium (8.40 USD / kg), Peru (8.23 USD / kg), Argentina (4.40 USD / kg), Colombia (3.65 USD / kg).
| Country | YoY Change | Transaction Count | 2025-05 | 2025-06 | 2025-07 | 2025-08 | 2025-09 | 2025-10 | 2025-11 | 2025-12 | 2026-01 | 2026-02 | 2026-03 | 2026-04 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | +68.0% | 16,013 | 3.50 USD / kg (1,170,501.82 kg) | 3.38 USD / kg (1,071,335.79 kg) | 4.31 USD / kg (2,127,195.069 kg) | 4.63 USD / kg (4,148,185.12 kg) | 4.47 USD / kg (4,933,940.419 kg) | 4.40 USD / kg (2,857,220.131 kg) | ||||||
| United States | +320.2% | 6 | - (-) | 5.18 USD / kg (511.4 kg) | 0.47 USD / kg (15,123.02 kg) | 3.35 USD / kg (418.39 kg) | - (-) | - (-) | ||||||
| Colombia | +12.9% | 23 | 4.28 USD / kg (2,500 kg) | 2.39 USD / kg (1,500 kg) | - (-) | 5.56 USD / kg (1,650 kg) | 8.46 USD / kg (450 kg) | 3.65 USD / kg (1,100 kg) | ||||||
| Belgium | +26.3% | 9 | - (-) | 9.04 USD / kg (6,300 kg) | 8.89 USD / kg (2,700 kg) | - (-) | - (-) | 8.40 USD / kg (950 kg) | ||||||
| Peru | - | 8 | - (-) | - (-) | - (-) | 7.65 USD / kg (104,885 kg) | 8.57 USD / kg (25,500 kg) | 8.23 USD / kg (53,100 kg) |
Donkey Meat Global Supply Chain Coverage
84 companies
53 exporters and 31 importers are mapped for Donkey Meat.
Exporters and importers can use Tridge Supply Chain Intelligence company profiles and analytics to identify counterparties for Donkey Meat, benchmark reach, and prioritize outreach by market.
Donkey Meat Export Supplier Intelligence, Trade Flows, and Price Signals
53 exporter companies are mapped in Tridge Supply Chain Intelligence for Donkey Meat. Exporters and importers can use company profiles and analytics to evaluate supplier coverage, trading activity, and route opportunities.
Donkey Meat Top Exporters and Supplier Profiles
Review leading exporter profiles while benchmarking against 53 total exporter companies in the Donkey Meat supply chain intelligence network. Exporters and importers can unlock company profiles and analytics to qualify partners faster.
(Argentina)
Latest Export Transaction: 2026-03-16
Recently Export Partner Companies: 1
Industries: Land TransportFreight Forwarding And IntermodalOthers
Value Chain Roles: OthersDistribution / WholesaleTradeLogistics
(Turkiye)
Latest Export Transaction: 2026-03-16
Industries: Others
Value Chain Roles: Food Manufacturing
(Argentina)
Latest Export Transaction: 2026-01-28
Recently Export Partner Companies: 5
Industries: Food ManufacturingBrokers And Trade Agencies
Value Chain Roles: TradeDistribution / Wholesale
(Mexico)
Latest Export Transaction: 2026-03-16
Recently Export Partner Companies: 1
Industries: Others
Value Chain Roles: Trade
Exporting Countries: United States
Supplying Products: Donkey Meat
(Mexico)
Latest Export Transaction: 2026-03-16
Recently Export Partner Companies: 1
Industries: Food ManufacturingOthersFood Wholesalers
Value Chain Roles: OthersFood ManufacturingDistribution / Wholesale
Exporting Countries: United States
Supplying Products: Donkey Meat, Horse Meat
(Argentina)
Latest Export Transaction: 2025-12-17
Recently Export Partner Companies: 1
Employee Size: 51 - 100 Employees
Sales Revenue: USD 10M - 50M
Industries: Others
Value Chain Roles: Logistics
Exporting Countries: Colombia, Ecuador
Supplying Products: Donkey Meat, Horse Meat
Donkey Meat Global Exporter Coverage
53 companies
Exporter company count is a key signal for Donkey Meat supply depth and sourcing optionality.
Use Supply Chain Intelligence analytics to narrow Donkey Meat opportunities by country, product, and value-chain role, then open company profiles to validate fit.
Top Exporting Countries for Donkey Meat (HS Code 020500) in 2024
For Donkey Meat in 2024, compare export volume and value across the top 10 supplier countries to map core supply structure.
| Rank | Country | Volume | Value | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belgium | 8,362,017.07 kg | 57,816,581.292 USD | View → |
| 2 | Poland | 8,117,352 kg | 49,627,231 USD | View → |
| 3 | Spain | 5,760,658.36 kg | 31,299,467.23 USD | View → |
| 4 | Argentina | 7,832,762.9 kg | 26,398,866.92 USD | View → |
| 5 | Romania | 4,838,516 kg | 22,444,427.4 USD | View → |
| 6 | Netherlands | 3,578,758 kg | 16,953,976.738 USD | View → |
| 7 | Brazil | 2,352,494 kg | 10,620,533 USD | View → |
| 8 | Canada | 1,409,039 kg | 8,894,999.801 USD | View → |
| 9 | Italy | 1,784,884 kg | 8,744,076.571 USD | View → |
| 10 | Iceland | 330,622 kg | 1,850,417.473 USD | View → |
Donkey Meat Export Trade Flow and Partner Country Summary
Track Donkey Meat exporter-to-importer flows by value, volume, and share to uncover high-potential export routes.
Donkey Meat Import Buyer Intelligence, Demand Signals, and Price Benchmarks
31 importer companies are mapped for Donkey Meat demand intelligence. Use Supply Chain Intelligence company profiles and analytics to prioritize buyers, distributors, and downstream demand partners by market.
Donkey Meat Top Buyers, Importers, and Demand Partners
Review leading buyer profiles and compare them against 31 total importer companies tracked for Donkey Meat. Exporters and importers can use Supply Chain Intelligence company profiles and analytics to evaluate buyer quality and demand concentration.
(Panama)
Latest Import Transaction: 2025-06-26
Recently Import Partner Companies: 1
Industries: Others
Value Chain Roles: -
(Iraq)
Latest Import Transaction: 2026-03-16
Industries: Others
Value Chain Roles: -
(Colombia)
Latest Import Transaction: 2025-12-29
Recently Import Partner Companies: 1
Employee Size: 1 - 10 Employees
Industries: Others
Value Chain Roles: -
(Colombia)
Latest Import Transaction: 2025-12-22
Recently Import Partner Companies: 3
Industries: Others
Value Chain Roles: -
(United States)
Latest Import Transaction: 2025-12-03
Recently Import Partner Companies: 1
Employee Size: 1 - 10 Employees
Industries: Brokers And Trade AgenciesAnimal Production
Value Chain Roles: -
(United States)
Latest Import Transaction: 2025-11-04
Recently Import Partner Companies: 1
Industries: Freight Forwarding And IntermodalOthers
Value Chain Roles: Panama, Colombia
Global Importer Coverage
31 companies
Importer company count highlights the current depth of demand-side visibility for Donkey Meat.
Use Supply Chain Intelligence analytics and company profiles to identify active Donkey Meat buyers, compare partner density by country, and refine GTM priorities.
Top Import Demand Countries for Donkey Meat (HS Code 020500) in 2024
For Donkey Meat in 2024, compare import volume and value across the top 10 demand countries to identify priority markets.
| Rank | Country | Volume | Value | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Italy | 23,237,219 kg | 142,178,974.197 USD | View → |
| 2 | Belgium | 11,935,024.67 kg | 60,285,965.605 USD | View → |
| 3 | Japan | 4,677,055 kg | 35,395,333.82 USD | View → |
| 4 | Switzerland | 1,712,310 kg | 24,853,032.827 USD | View → |
| 5 | Netherlands | 2,796,685.393 kg | 11,836,804.473 USD | View → |
| 6 | Finland | 624,436 kg | 2,236,033.509 USD | View → |
| 7 | Germany | 483,750 kg | 2,205,129.382 USD | View → |
| 8 | United States | 683,574 kg | 2,067,337 USD | View → |
| 9 | Luxembourg | 79,603.79 kg | 1,424,004.444 USD | View → |
| 10 | Estonia | 283,656.1 kg | 936,303.09 USD | View → |
Donkey Meat Import Trade Flow and Origin Country Summary
Analyze Donkey Meat origin-to-destination trade flows by value, volume, and share to monitor demand-side sourcing channels.
Classification
Product TypeRaw Material
Product FormFrozen
Industry PositionPrimary Agricultural Product
Raw Material
Commodity GroupEquine Meat (Ass/Donkey)
Scientific NameEquus asinus
PerishabilityHigh
Growing Conditions
- Managed under equid husbandry systems; access to adequate feed (forage-based diets are typical for equids) and safe water is essential.
- Welfare outcomes are sensitive to transport workload, harnessing/handling injuries and heat stress in harsh environments where working equids are common.
Consumption Forms
- Frozen meat cuts for cooking applications
- Chilled/fresh cuts in limited short-supply chains where permitted
Grading Factors
- Veterinary inspection status (ante-mortem and post-mortem) and hygienic dressing controls
- Species/lot traceability documentation
- Cut specification (boneless/bone-in), appearance defects, and temperature history in the cold chain
Market
Donkey meat is a niche equine meat category in global trade, often captured in HS heading 0205 which aggregates meat of horses, asses (donkeys), mules and hinnies rather than isolating donkey meat alone. On an HS 0205 basis, import demand is concentrated in a small set of markets (notably Italy, China, Belgium, France and Japan), while exports are led by European traders/processors and a few South American suppliers. A key structural dynamic is that donkey slaughter and hide removal can be economically linked, with global controversy and policy responses driven by the donkey-skin (ejiao) supply chain and reports of illegal sourcing, theft and welfare harms. These social-license and regulatory pressures (including African Union-linked moratorium actions on donkey slaughter for skins) can tighten raw material availability and raise compliance and traceability requirements for any internationally traded donkey-derived products, including meat.
Major Exporting Countries
- BelgiumTop exporter in 2023 for HS 0205 (equine meat aggregate); trade may include re-exports/processing hub activity rather than primary production.
- PolandMajor exporter in 2023 for HS 0205 (equine meat aggregate), with large export flows to Italy reported in trade data.
- UruguayMajor exporter in 2023 for HS 0205 (equine meat aggregate), with significant shipments reported to Belgium and France.
- SpainMajor exporter in 2023 for HS 0205 (equine meat aggregate), with strong reported shipments to Italy.
- ArgentinaMajor exporter in 2023 for HS 0205 (equine meat aggregate), including reported exports to Belgium.
Major Importing Countries
- ItalyLargest import market in 2023 for HS 0205 (equine meat aggregate).
- ChinaSignificant import market in 2023 for HS 0205 (equine meat aggregate); donkey-derived supply chains also intersect with ejiao hide demand controversies.
- BelgiumMajor import and export participant in 2023 for HS 0205 (equine meat aggregate), consistent with a trading/processing hub role.
- FranceMajor import market in 2023 for HS 0205 (equine meat aggregate), with notable reported inflows from Belgium and Uruguay.
- JapanMajor import market in 2023 for HS 0205 (equine meat aggregate), with reported inflows including Canada as a supplier in trade data.
Supply Calendar
- Belgium:Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, DecEquine meat trade is generally non-seasonal; supply depends on slaughter throughput, inventories and market access conditions.
- Poland:Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, DecNon-seasonal trade; major reported shipments to Italy in HS 0205 trade data.
- Uruguay:Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, DecNon-seasonal trade; reported flows include exports to Belgium and France for HS 0205.
Specification
Physical Attributes
- Typically marketed as equine red meat cuts (boneless or bone-in), most commonly traded frozen for international shipment.
- Species identification and traceability are commercially important due to the broader history of equine-meat mislabeling risk in meat supply chains.
Grades
- Commercial acceptance is primarily based on veterinary inspection status, hygienic slaughter/dressing controls, and buyer specifications on cut type and defect tolerance, consistent with Codex meat hygiene principles.
Packaging
- Frozen cuts commonly packed in lined cartons for export; vacuum packaging may be used for retail-oriented or premium channels depending on destination requirements.
- Labeling and documentation typically need to support species/lot traceability in markets with heightened food-fraud sensitivity.
ProcessingMay be further processed into comminuted or prepared meat products in some markets; this increases the importance of species-authentication controls to prevent substitution or mislabeling.
Supply Chain
Value Chain
- Farm/collection (where applicable) -> transport/lairage -> slaughter and hide removal -> carcass chilling -> deboning/cutting -> freezing -> export cold chain -> importer cold storage -> wholesale/retail or foodservice
Demand Drivers
- Concentrated culinary demand in specific importing markets for equine meats (HS 0205 import concentration visible in Italy, China, Belgium, France and Japan).
- In some contexts, donkey slaughter economics can be coupled with hide value in donkey-skin supply chains, creating linked incentives and regulatory scrutiny.
Temperature
- Frozen cold-chain integrity is critical for international trade; thaw/refreeze events can trigger quality loss and compliance disputes.
- Export logistics are typically based on refrigerated containers and controlled cold storage at origin and destination.
Shelf Life
- Frozen storage extends marketable life relative to chilled shipment, supporting long-distance trade where permitted by importing-country rules.
Risks
Regulatory And Reputational HighThe most critical disruption risk is tightening policy and enforcement driven by the controversial donkey-skin (ejiao) supply chain, including reported illegal sourcing and large-scale slaughter pressures. African Union-linked actions and moratorium decisions focused on donkey slaughter for skins can rapidly constrain legal supply, increase scrutiny on traceability, and create reputational exposure for buyers of any donkey-derived products (including meat where hide/meat are co-products).Require documented legal origin and full lot traceability; map exposure to jurisdictions with moratorium/bans; separate and verify supply chains to avoid linkage with illicit donkey-skin sourcing; conduct third-party welfare and compliance audits.
Food Fraud And Traceability MediumEquine meats carry elevated species-authentication and mislabeling sensitivity because of prior food fraud incidents involving undeclared horse meat in products marketed as beef, which triggered coordinated testing and enforcement actions. For donkey meat traded as cuts or as an input into processed foods, weak traceability increases the risk of mislabeling, substitution or compliance actions in importing markets.Implement species verification testing (e.g., DNA-based methods) at receiving and before processing; maintain chain-of-custody documentation; use supplier approval programs and routine audits.
Animal Welfare And Biosecurity MediumTransport and handling conditions for equids, especially in informal supply chains, can create welfare harms and amplify disease/biosecurity risks; international standards and NGO reporting highlight welfare vulnerabilities and hygiene/transport weaknesses in donkey-linked trade networks.Adopt welfare-aligned procurement standards referencing WOAH guidance; require veterinary oversight and humane transport/slaughter protocols; monitor compliance through audits and corrective action plans.
Sustainability
- Donkey population pressure and biodiversity/genetic resource concerns where extraction rates exceed sustainable replacement, especially when driven by hide markets.
- One Health and biosecurity concerns cited in donkey-skin supply chains where hygiene and transport practices are poor, with potential spillovers to broader livestock systems.
Labor & Social
- Documented links between the donkey-skin trade and livelihood harm, theft and social impacts on communities reliant on working donkeys, with disproportionate burdens reported for women and girls.
- Animal welfare risks in transport, handling and slaughter for equids, with international welfare standards emphasizing responsibilities and minimum care expectations for working equids.
FAQ
Which trade code is commonly used to track donkey meat in international statistics?Donkey meat is commonly captured under HS heading 0205, which covers meat of horses, asses (donkeys), mules and hinnies, fresh, chilled or frozen. Because it is an aggregate equine category, HS 0205 trade figures do not isolate donkey meat unless a country provides more detailed national sub-codes.
What is the biggest global risk factor that can disrupt donkey-meat availability and trade?The biggest disruption risk is regulatory and reputational fallout connected to the controversial donkey-skin (ejiao) supply chain, including concerns about illegal sourcing and large-scale slaughter pressure. African Union-linked moratorium actions on donkey slaughter for skins and related enforcement can tighten lawful supply and raise compliance requirements for donkey-derived products.
Why do buyers emphasize traceability and species verification for equine meats?Equine meats face heightened scrutiny because of documented cases of undeclared horse meat in foods marketed as beef, which led to coordinated testing and enforcement actions in Europe. Strong traceability and species verification help reduce the risk of mislabeling, substitution and import rejections.
Sources
Donkey Meat Country Coverage for Suppliers, Export Flows, and Prices
Explore country-level Donkey Meat market pages for supplier coverage, trade flows, and price benchmarks.
All country market pages: Belgium, China, Argentina, Italy, Mexico, Poland, Spain, France, Japan, Romania, Brazil, Ireland, Netherlands, Canada, Uruguay, Germany, Egypt, Estonia, Peru, Switzerland, Iceland, Kazakhstan, Finland, Colombia, Russia, Lithuania, United States, Liberia, United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Croatia, Austria, Australia, Sweden, Bulgaria, Hong Kong, Hungary, Morocco, Czechia, Malta, Azerbaijan, Greece, Denmark, South Africa, Latvia, Kyrgyzstan, Slovenia, Moldova, Portugal, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, New Zealand, Belarus, Panama, Aruba, Andorra, Maldives, Slovakia, United Arab Emirates, Benin, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, Mongolia, Swaziland, Togo, Vietnam
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