Czech Republic: Country's beer output up 3.5% in Q1

Breweries in the Czech Republic produced 4.18 million hectolitres of beer in Q1, 3.5 percent more than a year ago, executive director of the Czech Brewing and Malting Association Jan Vesely said, according to CTK , May 16.

Vesely explained the growth by the mild winter and added that sales grew both on the domestic market and abroad.

Some 722,000 hectolitres were exported in Q1, a growth of 4.2 percent year-on-year, but a slowdown from Q1 2006 when the growth reached 14 percent and the year before with 17 percent.

The fast growth had followed the lifting of trade barriers after the country's entry of the EU.

Output for the domestic market increased by 3.3 percent to 3.46 million hectolitres on Q1.

Last year, breweries in the Czech Republic put out 19.79 million hectolitres of beer, up 3.8 percent from 2005.

This year, output could rise to 20 million hectolitres, Vesely had said earlier.

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