The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock in Brazil (Mapa) and farm representative bodies in the country have rejected comments on meat from Mercosur made by the CEO of French supermarket chain Carrefour, Alexandre Bompard.
Bompard said the agri-business has committed to not selling any meat from Mercosur countries Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia. The trade deal would allow an additional 99,000t of beef enter the EU tariff-free from Mercosur.
The CEO of Carrefour Group, which comprises a network of more than 14,000 stores in over 40 countries, said the decision to not market any Mercosur meat in France was made in solidarity to French farmers who strongly oppose the deal.
In a letter to the president of farming organisation, FNSEA, Arnaud Rousseau, he said there is “dismay and anger” among farmers over the trade deal and concerns that meat from Mercosur would not meet its requirements and standards.
Brazil defends meat from Mercosur
Rejecting Bompard’s comments, the Brazilian ministry “strongly reaffirmed” the quality of Brazilian agri-business, which it said “adheres to rigorous national legislation and international best practices, aligning with global standards”.
Mapa said its “rigorous agricultural defense system ensures Brazil’s position as the world’s largest exporter of beef and poultry”, adding that Brazil maintains trade relations with approximately 160 nations.
The ministry said Brazil “consistently [meets] the highest international standards”, and that “for more than 40 years, the [EU] has purchased and certified the quality and safety of Brazilian meat products”.
While the ministry said it “does not perceive a coordinated effort by French companies to obstruct the finalisation of the Mercosur-European Union agreement – recently discussed at the G20 Summit“, it added:
“The ministry will not tolerate unfounded attempts to undermine the recognised quality and safety of Brazilian products or the country’s environmental commitments.”
Mapa said Brazil “upholds one of the world’s most stringent environmental legislations and operates with full transparency in the agricultural sector”, and that Brazil’s private traceability systems are “widely recognised and approved by European markets”.
Meanwhile, the Brazilian Association of Meat Exporting Industries (ABIEC) published a statement condemning Carrefour’s decision to not sell meat from Mercosur, which was signed by multiple agri-business and food industry entities in Brazil.
“The statement condemning the attacks on agricultural production in Mercosur reaffirms the commitment of food companies and rural producers in the region to responsible, sustainable production and food security.
“This production reaches all countries in the world, including the most demanding markets, including the world’s largest economies, such as the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, China and Japan,” according to the statement which added:
“If the global CEO of the Carrefour Group, Alexandre Bompard, understands that Mercosur is not a supplier worthy of the French market – which is no different from the Spanish, Belgian, Arab, Turkish and Italian markets – the undersigned entities consider that, if it is not suitable for supplying Carrefour in the French market, it is not suitable for supplying Carrefour in any other country.”
The statement was signed by the Brazilian Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock (CNA), ABIEC, the Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA), the Brazilian Agribusiness Association (ABAG), the Brazilian Rural Society (SRB), and the Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo (FIESP).