EU: Malt production to decrease in 2005/2006

Malt industry analysts assume a smaller malt production in 2005/2006, in spite of expanded malting capacities. In 2003 the 25 countries of the EU produced 377 million hl of beer, full figures for 2004 are not available yet. Assuming an average usage of 14 to 15 kilos of malt per hectoliter, malt needs inside the EU are 5.3 to 5.6 million tonnes. A production of 8.2 million tonnes of malt would leave an export surplus of 2.6 to 2.9 million tonnes of malt, clearly too much.

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