Russia: Russia to increase beer production by 10% in 2007

Russian breweries will increase beer production by 10% in 2007 from year-earlier levels, news agency Interfax reported, citing the chairman of the Russian Brewers committee Vyacheslav Mamontov, Dow Jones Newswires announced June 8.

He said the unusually warm winter and early spring were behind an almost 30% jump in beer production between January and April, although those growth rates will likely dip towards the end of the year.

Russia ranks fifth in global beer output, with 9.98 billion liters of beer produced in 2006, up 9.8% on 2005.