While French farmers are lobbying for a trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and Mercosur, retail giant Carrefour has pledged “not to sell any meat from Mercosur”. In a letter sent on Wednesday (20) to the French agricultural union FNSEA, the group’s CEO, Alexandre Bompard, called on restaurants to do the same.
DefesaNet note: The article can be related to the idea of a “hybrid war” against Brazilian cattle ranchers, because it reflects a scenario where economic, political and environmental issues are manipulated as strategic tools to achieve certain goals, often masked under legitimate arguments.
Carrefour’s decision reflects pressure from French farmers, who have long opposed meat imports from Mercosur. This kind of action can be interpreted as an attempt to protect local producers, masked by environmental arguments. This is characteristic of “hybrid wars”, where legitimate issues (such as sustainability) are instrumentalized to protect economic and geopolitical interests.
The association of Brazilian meat with environmental problems damages the international reputation of national agribusiness. This can negatively impact not only cattle ranchers, but also other exporting sectors, promoting a narrative that weakens Brazil as a global competitor.
It is not clear from the article whether Carrefour’s decision to stop selling meat from Mercosur applies to the entire global chain or only to the stores located in France. It is worth noting that Carrefour has a significant presence in Brazil, one of Mercosur’s largest meat exporters, and this decision could generate antipathy among Brazilian consumers, affecting the brand’s image in a strategic market.
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(RFI) In a letter to Arnaud Rousseau, president of the FNSEA, Bompard says that “throughout France, we have heard the dismay and indignation of farmers at the proposed free trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur”. The president of France’s second largest retail group, behind E.Leclerc, says that Carrefour is committed to “not selling any meat from Mercosur”.
Asked about the volumes in question, the retailer specified that 96% of the beef and pork it sells comes from France. “We hope we can inspire other players in the agri-food sector,” says Alexandre Bompard. “I particularly call on the restaurant and out-of-home food sectors, which account for more than 30% of meat consumption in France – 60% of which is imported – to join our commitment,” he proposes.
Third day of farmers’ mobilization
For French farmers, who are holding their third consecutive day of protests in the country on Wednesday, French agriculture is under threat from the free trade agreement that the EU is negotiating with the Latin American countries of Mercosur (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay). They denounce conditions of unfair competition, since products from Mercosur do not meet the same environmental and social standards as in Europe, or even health standards in the event of a failure in controls.
On Monday (18), the European supermarket lobby, EuroCommerce, indicated in a press release that it was part of 78 professional federations that have signed an appeal to “speed up the conclusion of negotiations on the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement”, arguing that this would “help alleviate the challenges posed by geopolitical instability and disruptions in the food supply chain”.
EuroCommerce’s members include the French supermarket employers’ federation, the FCD, of which Alexandre Bompard is president.
On this third day of farmers’ demonstrations, the Coordination Rurale (CR) union spoke to French Prime Minister Michel Barnier. “You have a prime minister who knows and respects farmers. I will do everything in my power in the budget to fulfill the numerous commitments that have been made, point by point,” declared the head of government.
Barnier also phoned the president of the FNSEA, Arnaud Rousseau, to assure him that he is open to dialogue to discuss “the answers to be given”, reaffirming that all promises would be kept.
The farmers decided to lift the blockade on the A9 highway at the Spanish border, set up on Tuesday. However, less than a year after a historic mobilization in the country, the unions believe they haven’t made enough progress.