New Delhi, Apr 30: Why are people rushing to buy donkey meat. In Andhra Pradesh, the sale of donkey meat is thriving as some believe that this can boost their sex drive.
An article in vice.com says that donkeys are illegally smuggled into Andhra Pradesh from states like Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, and sold on the sly in the districts of Krishna, West Godavari, Guntur and Prakasam. While a donkey can be bought for anywhere between Rs 10,000 to 20,000 ($137 to $274), a kilogram of its meat is sold for Rs 600 (about $8). Donkey meat is known as "poopy" according to local slang.
The article while quoting Gopal R Surabathula said that these markets take place every Thursday and Sunday, with at least 100 donkeys being slaughtered on each occasion. Donkey meat is not included in the "animal food" category of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India's Food Safety and Standards, 2011, which makes both, its slaughter and consumption illegal.
There are various superstitions attached to the consumption of donkey meat. Eating "poopy" can increase virility and sex drive since it is low in fat and cholesterol, according to ancient Chinese medicine.
An estimated 4.8 million donkey hides are needed to meet the demand for ejiao, a gelatin-based Chinese traditional medicine. The report also warned that the trade of donkeys would halve its current population of 44 million in the next five years. In India, the demand for donkeys in the Chinese market has led to their population decreasing by over 60 percent in the last decade, the report in vice.com said.
The tradition of eating donkey meat in India originates from the Stuartpuram area in AP's Prakasam district, an area historically known for housing notorious thieving gangs. The unverified claim probably sprung from the myth that drinking donkey blood can improve a person's sprinting ability, a theory that thieves on the run began to believe, the report also said.