Australian lamb industry hit as Qatar cancels subsidy on $300m-a-year trade

Australian lamb industry hit as Qatar cancels subsidy on $300m-a-year trade

The Qatari government has moved to cancel a subsidy for the Australian lamb industry, even as Australia's agriculture and meat sector continues to reel from Chinese import bans.Australia's $300m-a-year lamb trade with Qatar has been underpinned by a subsidy program in place since 2015. It was due to finish in 2023, but the Qatari government made the sudden move to cancel the deal as of 31 December.It comes after the Australian government “registered its strong disapproval and outrage” at the treatment of Australian women who were subjected to compulsory intimate medical examinations at Doha airport.Stephen Crisp, chief executive officer at Sheep Producers Australia, said that the industry was not expecting the decision.“It was a surprise. I don't think we were ready for this. But we're fortunate to be in a very adaptable industry. We service many, many countries, so we can adapt.”Industry insiders told the Guardian they were reluctant to link the decision by the Qatari government to the controversy surrounding the treatment of 18 women, including 13 Australian citizens, at Doha's Hamad International Airport.They said it was a surprising blow, but that the industry had expected something like this in the long term as Qatar looks to increase competition