This Tuesday (26), the Minister of Agriculture, Carlos Fávaro, said that the disagreement with Carrefour has been overcome after the formal apology issued by the group’s global CEO due to criticism of the quality of meat produced in Brazil.
“Episode overcome and let a legacy remain. Anyone who wants to discuss sustainability, traceability, good practices, we are open. Those who dare to speak ill of Brazilian products will receive a response just like this CEO of Carrefour had”, said Fávaro when talking to journalists.
Last week, Bompard announced that the French supermarket chain would not purchase any meat from Mercosur in its units in France.
The restriction on Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay occurred amid a wave of protests by French farmers against the proposed free trade agreement between the European Union and the South American bloc.
Bompard said the deal would bring the “risk that meat production that does not meet its requirements and standards will spread across the French market.”
After the crisis broke out with Bompard’s declaration, the Brazilian meat producing sector reacted with a boycott of Carrefour in Brazil and demanded a public retraction as a condition for resuming meat supply.
CEO does not indicate whether he will buy meat from Mercosur again for Carrefour in France
Despite regretting the confusion with the Brazilian market and asking that his previous speech not be “interpreted as questioning the partnership with Brazilian agriculture”, Bompard did not make it clear whether Carrefour in France will buy meat from Mercosur again.
Lira calls for mobilization of other Mercosur members
After Fávaro’s statement, the president of the Chamber, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), said that the other Mercosur countries must mobilize, as Carrefour’s criticism of the quality of the meat was not just directed at Brazil.
“As Brazil is part of and the main player, it is logical that we are concerned with the entire chain of defamation of Brazilian agribusiness production,” said Lira.
For the mayor, the apology issued by the CEO of Carrefour was “weak”.
For Lira, the boycott of French companies against Brazilian meat “will not change the lives of producers of Brazilian exports in any way”.
“Any lack of will on the part of the French in contact with the Brazilian product. But the damage to the image, the repercussions on other markets, the upheaval this could cause is worrying,” he stated.
