Brazil, US, Argentine meat suppliers could benefit
Russia also keen to boost share in China39;s meat market
No immediate market impact expected

SINGAPORE, June 17 Reuters Pork suppliers from South America and the United States could gain market share in China if Beijing restricts imports from the European Union in response to escalating trade tensions, traders and analysts said.

Russia, increasingly a close trading partner of China that started exporting pork to China in February, could also step up meat shipments.

China39;s commerce ministry said on Monday it had opened an antidumping investigation into imported pork and its byproducts from the European Union, after the bloc imposed antisubsidy duties on Chinesemade electric cars.

Any impact on EU exports will take time to emerge. China has said the investigtion could last more than a year.

Brazil, Argentina and the U.S. can export more pork and offal to China if exports from the European Union are restricted, Pan Chenjun, a senior analyst at Rabobank in Hong Kong, said.

If the antidumping tax is too high, than shipments from other origins such as the US, Brazil and Argentina will increase.

Antidumping duties could hit Europe hard as China39;s pork purchases from Europe include parts such as feet, ears and offal that tend to only be used for pet food rather than human consumption in Europe.

Pan, however, said any impact on China39;s market would be limited.

We don39;t see much impact on the local market in…