Brazil Blocks Meat Deliveries To French Carrefour Chain Over Trade Row

Brazil's agriculture minister on Monday backed national meat suppliers who have boycotted deliveries to local outlets of the French-owned supermarket chain Carrefour, amid escalating tensions over Mercosur trade negotiations, RFI reported.

Carrefour Brazil confirmed it was being affected by the suppliers' actions. I Photo: José Cruz/ABr Wikimedia Commons

Carlos Fávaro told GloboNews he was "happy with the attitude of our suppliers," who have been withholding supplies to Carrefour stores in Brazil since last week.

The boycott was triggered after Carrefour CEO Alexandre Bompard told French unions that the chain would "not sell any meat coming from Mercosur" in its French outlets. The dispute is tied to France's opposition to finalizing a European Union (EU) trade agreement with Mercosur, a bloc that includes Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay.

French farmers have protested against the deal, fearing it would lead to unfair competition.

Fávaro said: "If Carrefour in France doesn't want to buy Brazilian meat, then Carrefour here in Brazil won't be selling Brazilian meat either."

Carrefour Brazil confirmed it was being affected by the suppliers' actions.

A source at JBS, one of Brazil's largest meat suppliers, told AFP that "beef supplies to Carrefour stores in Brazil have been completely suspended" since Friday and will remain so until Bompard reverses his stance.