BRASILIA, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Brazil's government has

blasted French retailer Carrefour after its CEO vowed

to keep South American meat off its shelves in France in

solidarity with farmers, calling the comments part of a wider

push to undermine a pending trade deal.

Agriculture Minister Carlos Favaro called the pledge part of

an "orchestrated action" by French companies to sabotage the

trade pact between the European Union and South American trade

bloc Mercosur, which officials aim to finalize this year.

In a social media post addressed to leaders of France's farm

lobbies on Wednesday, Bompard said the EU-Mercosur deal

presented the "risk of meat production spilling over into the

French market failing to meet its requirements and standards."

"Carrefour wants to form a united front with the

agricultural world and is today committing not to sell any meat

from Mercosur," he added.

Carrefour representatives clarified to Reuters that the

retailer does not currently source meat in France from Mercosur.

The company did not answer questions about sourcing for its

stores elsewhere in Europe.

Brazilian meat industry group Abiec, which represents beef

suppliers including JBS, Marfrig and

Minerva, called the retailer's plan "contradictory"

as its local unit Carrefour Brasil operates 1,200

stores in the country selling mostly domestic beef.

"It seems to me that they are trying to find some pretext so

that France does not sign ... the finalization of the

Mercosur-European Union agreement," Favaro said.

In a separate statement, Brazil's Agriculture Ministry had

said Brazil's rigorous controls made it the largest exporter of

beef and poultry in the world, selling to 160 countries and

meeting the strictest standards, including those of the EU.

Conrado Ferber, head of Uruguay's National Meat Institute,

said Carrefour's stance was "regrettable" and "commercially

incomprehensible" because it disregarded the basis of free trade

that allows economies to grow.

In a statement to Reuters on Thursday, Carrefour clarified

that the CEO's comments applied only to stores in France, and is

not related to the quality of Mercosur meat but rather concerns

from the French agricultural sector.

Carrefour said all other countries where the group is

present, including Brazil and Argentina, can continue to

purchase meat from Mercosur.