The Middle East nation of Bahrain has recently bought 26,000 sheep, from suppliers other than Australia, to cover a shortfall.

In early September, Bahrain rejected a shipload of 22,000 Australian sheep, saying they had scabby mouth disease.

Bahrain broke a commitment signed with Australia that it would unload the sheep, and the sheep were subsequently sent to Pakistan, where almost all were culled.

Australian sheep exporters have suspended trade to Bahrain, until the Memorandum of Understaning about scabby mouth is cleared up.

A source in Bahrain says Eid is the high season for sheep, as many people will slaughter them and give them to the poor, so cutting off the supply during this time or year is a bad business decision that doesn’t make sense.

The source say people prefer fresh meat, and Australian livestock that comes in is subsidised locally and considered a staple meat source.

Livestock is an essential commodity in the area and Bahrain will go to other countries to get it as they already prove when they got the 26,000 sheep.