Czech Republic, Prague: Czech breweries forecast record beer exports for 2004 up to 2.4 million hl, an increase by 12 % from 2003, Jan Vesely, the chairman of the Czech Association of Breweries and Malt Houses announced at the end on December 2004. The total beer output in the Czech Republic should increase by some 0.5 % compared with last year's 18.55 million hl, Vesely said.

Exports to Germany, Slovakia, Great Britain and the USA, the main buyer countries, rose by between 5 and 20 % year- on-year. The breweries are preparing a campaign to promote their beer abroad and planning to ask the EU to grant Czech beer the geographical indication of origin "Ceske pivo" (Czech beer), said Vesely.

The beer will have to meet certain criteria as regards ingredients, the brewing process, the location of a brewery and the end product's qualities to be awarded the tag, said Vesely, adding that Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority would oversee that the criteria are adhered to.

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