Czech Republic: Beer exports register an increase of 20% for the first half of 2005

The brewers from Czech Republic exported 1.46 million hectolitres of beer in H1, up 21 % year-on-year, and raised output by 3.5 percent to 9.15 million hectolitres, according to the Praguemonitor.

Domestic beer sale grew by just 0.65 percent to 7.69 million hectolitres. "This has confirmed our expectations," Jan Vesely, the CEO of Czech Brewing and Malting Association said, adding that Czech beer output will continue to grow mainly because of exports.

For the entire year, beer output should rise to at least 19 million hectolitres, Vesely said earlier. Last year, Czech breweries put out 18.75 million hectolitres of beer, up 1.1 percent against 2003.
Sale on the domestic market fell slightly but exports went up 25 percent to 2.64 million hectolitres in 2004. Brewers say the growth of exports accelerated after the country's accession to the EU.

41 breweries out of the 48 operating in the Czech Republic last year, were also exporting their products. There was a reduction in the share of the three leading exporters, namely Budvar, Pivovary Staropramen and Plzensky Prazdroj. This fact points out to increasing activity of other Czech brewers.

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