French supermarket group Carrefour attempted Tuesday to end a supplier "boycott" of its stores in Brazil by apologizing for refusing to sell Mercosur-origin meat in its outlets in France.

Brazil's agriculture minister on Monday threw his support behind national meat suppliers that have halted deliveries to Carrefour supermarkets in a growing row related to Mercosur trade negotiations.Brazilian media are calling the disrupted meat deliveries to Carrefour supermarkets a "boycott" and many Brazilians online have applauded it.

Carrefour SA Chief Executive Officer Alexandre Bompard plans to issue a public apology to the Brazilian government to settle a controversy over its commitment against selling South American meat in France,