Vietnam: Beer production expected to go around 15 million hl by 2010

Vietnam's beer industry is growing at an annual rate of about 8-10 per cent and will produce 1.5 billion litres by 2010, according to a Health Ministry's research institute, Asia Pulse News released July 20.

The current beer output is 1.2 billion litres a year, while alcohol consumption in the country is 350 million litres per year, said the Institute for Health care Strategy and Policies, adding that the real figures may be higher due to unregistered alcohol production.

On average, Vietnamese consume 16 litres of beer and four litres of hard alcohol per year.