Traditional Chinese medicine costs rise sharply as donkey herds dwindle, says top company official.
东阿公司的高层官员说，驴群日渐减少，传统中药的成本大幅上升。
A dwindling supply of raw material is forcing a leading traditional Chinese medicine producer to shift its business in a different direction: The fresh meat and catering industries.
原材料的供应日益减少，迫使这家传统的医药生产商向不同方向转变：新鲜肉类和餐饮业。
Dong-E-E-Jiao Co Ltd, whose major product is ejiao - a TCM made from donkey hide - has agreed to join forces with Shandong Lvbang Catering Co, the donkey meat producer and caterer, to launch a donkey meat hotpot brand and a donkey-meat steamed bun product.
主打（一味由驴皮制成的中药）产品的有限公司，已同意注资入股山东驴帮餐饮管理有限公司（一家集驴肉生产及驴肉餐饮于一体的综合性企业），打造驴帮驴肉火锅和驴肉包系列品牌。
The Shenzhen-listed firm closed at 56.98 yuan ($8.8) per share on Monday, up 10 percent from Friday.
这家在深圳上市的公司上周一收盘报56.98元每股（约合8.8美元），星期五股票涨停。
Ejiao is essentially donkey hide gelatin, and has for 3,000 years been said to improve blood circulation and boost energy levels.
本质是驴皮熬制而成的胶块，3000多年来一直被公认为能促进血液循环，滋阴固本，是进补的佳品。
As more Chinese consumers have become aware of the nutritional value of ejiao, however, the supply of donkey hide gelatin products has started falling short of demand, of a lack of interest by farmers to raise the beasts. As a result, Dong-E-E-Jiao has raised its prices 16 times in the past decade, and last month it announced it was increasing the price for its major products again, by 15 percent.
由于毛驴养殖户收银很少，毛驴存栏量低，但随着有越来越多的消费者意识到的营养价值，驴皮开始供不应求，结果，在过去的十年里，产品的价格上调了16次，就在上月，还宣布公司重点产品价格再次上调15%。
China’s animal husbandry industry statistics yearbook calculates the number of donkeys raised by farmers dropped to 6.36 million at the end of 2012, compared with 9.44 million in 1996, and nearly 13 million in the mid-1950s.
据畜牧统计年鉴数据显示，至2012年底，毛驴存栏量下降到636万，而1996年是944万，50年代中期时接近1300万。
And Qin Yufeng, Dong-E-E-Jiao’s president, said numbers are now falling at a rate of 3 to 5 percent annually.
总裁秦玉峰说，毛驴数量还在以每年3%到5%的速度下降。
"The ejiao industry is facing a major challenge due to the shortening supply of donkey hide. It’s hard for us to expand capacity," Qin said.
秦玉峰还说，“驴皮的巨大缺口导致产业面临重大挑战。我们很难扩大产能。”
As well as the two new food brands, over the next three years Shandong Lvbang also plans to open 3,000 restaurants in China and globally, including 200 in major cities, which are likely to cost 1 billion yuan ($154 million).
除了这两个新的食品品牌，未来3年内，山东驴帮还计划智慧之选10亿元（1.54亿美元）在全国以及全球范围内完成3000家餐厅的布局，包括在重点城市里设200家。
Along with China Minsheng Banking Corp Ltd, Dong-E-E-Jiao and Shandong Lvbang have already created a 180 million yuan fund to support the meat and restaurant expansion.
携手民生银行，和山东驴帮餐饮已注资1.8亿元，支持驴肉产品和驴肉餐厅的扩张。
Mao Zhifang, an investment manager at Beijing-based Hejun Consulting Co, said: "Although time-honored Chinese brands have many advantages, and have been diversifying their business, many also face tough competition from emerging foreign and domestic giants."
北京和君咨询有限公司的智慧之选经理毛志方说：“虽然历史悠久的品牌有很多优势，且业务发展多元化，但部分仍然面临着来自国内外新兴企业的激烈竞争”(声明：本文为爱语吧原创翻译，转载请注明来源，否则追究法律责任)
山东驴帮餐饮管理有限公司
地址：山东省济南市历下区经十路12111号中润世纪中心一号楼14层
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