By Faiza Tehseen ISLAMABAD, Nov 08 (INP-WealthPK)-Every year, Pakistan exports sizable animal products like ambergris, castoreum, civet, musk, cantharides, bile (dried or not), glands, and other varieties to different countries, earning billions of rupees of foreign exchange. These products, used for food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical purposes, are exported to Brazil, Paraguay, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, the United States, and South Africa under the commodity group HS 051000. In 2020, the exports of animal products were worth $149 million against $295,000 in 2019, representing a decrease of 49 percent as shown below (from FY 2009-FY 2020). Source:https://trendeconomy.com/data/h2/Pakistan/0510   The import structure of Pakistan from 2009-2020 for commodity group 0510 is presented by the following chart (regarding the import of Ambergris, castoreum, civet and musk, cantharides, bile, glands and other animal products in fresh, dried, or provisionally preserved form). Source: https://trendeconomy.com/data/h2/Pakistan/0510 In 2019, animal products for pharmaceutical purposes were the world's most traded animal products, worth $ 318 million. Blister beetle's derivative Cantharides, or Cantharidin is used as vesicant (for treatment of warts and molluscum contagiosum), aphrodisiac, abortifacient and veterinary diuretic medicine largely used in China, the US, and other countries for a number of maladies. Forty-seven species of blister beetle originate in Pakistan, of which 19  are found in the Kashmir region. Civet is a small, lean, mostly nocturnal mammal whose secretions are harvested for use as sedative, pain reliever, food flavouring agent, fixative, fragrance base and a necessary part in the production of some soaps and cosmetics. A species of civet (Paguma larvata) called “masked palm civet” is abundantly found in Pakistan. Musk deer is a great source of musk or soft gold. In dried form, it is used in the preparation of medicines for the treatment of coma, stroke, nerve problems, seizures (convulsions), tumours, injuries, heart and blood circulation complications. It is also used in the food industry for flavouring and in the cosmetics industry as a fragrance base. The Himalayan mountains of Pakistan are the natural habitat of musk deer. Ambergris or floating gold is an intestinal secretion of sperm whale used in the manufacture of perfumes. The presence of a variety of whales, including the sperm whale (named after spermaceti found at its head), is recorded in the Pakistani waters. The hunting of some species like sperm whale, civet and musk deer is banned worldwide to avoid their extinction, as the products from these animals could be extracted without killing them or harming their growth, or health. Musk deer are extensively farmed in Nepal and China. In 2017, Nepal's parliament passed an amendment to the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act, allowing the farming of wild animals for commercial purposes. It was the first of its kind in the country's history. China started musk deer farming in 1958 for the preservation of this animal and extraction of its expensive produce. In the early 1980s, the farming population of musk deer increased so quickly that it reached a peak of 3,000. Contrary to these two Asian countries, no serious efforts have been made in Pakistan with regard to the farming and preservation of blister beetles, civets, and musk deer. The Wild Life Department of Pakistan can go for musk deer and civet farming, as the products obtained from these animals could earn a handsome foreign exchange for the country. Pakistan can benefit from the Chinese experience for an organized musk deer and insect farming for mutual benefit.