Czech brewery Budejovicky Budvar said it remained the exclusive owner of the Budweiser and Budweiser Budvar trademarks in Hungary even after a Budapest court ruled US giant Anheuser-Busch could sell its Budweiser beer in the country, The Prague Daily Monitor posted May 25.

Budejovicky Budvar spokesman Petr Samec told CTK the US brewery could sell its beer only under its own trademark, "Bud".

"In its decisions, the municipal court of appeals in Budapest gradually confirmed Budejovicky Budvar's right to the protection of the "Budejovicke pivo" and "Ceskobudejovicke pivo" geographical indications, including translations," he added.

The phrases mean "beer from Ceske Budejovice" (the town where Budvar is produced). In German, they would read "Budweiser Bier".

Budvar also said the court verdict would not hamper its business activities in Hungary.

Hungary is one of the ten most important export markets for Budvar which raised sales to Hungary by 3 percent year-on-year in 2005.

Anheuser-Busch and Budvar have been fighting for the Budweiser trademark and other trademarks since 1906. They are embroiled in about 40 trademark disputes worldwide.

Thai Beverage, the nation's largest brewer, raised 1.37 billion Singapore dollars, or $865 million, after selling shares at the lower end of the range offered to investors, Bloomberg reported May 24.

The brewer sold 4.89 billion shares at 28 Singapore cents each, 8 Singapore cents lower than the maximum price that it sought. The IPO is Singapore's largest in 13 years.

Thai Beverage turned to Singapore after anti-alcohol protesters blocked an offering in its home market last year. The president of Thailand's stock exchange quit Wednesday after failing to secure what might have been Thailand's biggest initial public offering.

Excises on beer will go up 8.5% to 2.07 rubles per liter in 2007 from the current rate of 1.75 rubles, Interfax announced May 24.

The Union of Russian Brewers said in a press release that on May 23 the State Duma's subcommittee for tax legislation backed a government-sponsored bill to amend Chapter 22 of the second part of the Tax Code and other legislation. The bill sets excise rates for 2007.

The government is proposing to set the excise on beer with alcohol content of over 0.5% to 8.6% at 2.07 rubles per liter, which is 8.5% higher than the current rate of 1.75 rubles.

The Brewers' Union's chairman, Vyacheslav Mamontov said in the release that the "principle of calculating the excise rate based on the forecasted level of inflation is essentially pro-inflationary, as in the end it pushes up prices." This is essentially an indirect tax on beer consumers, he said.

The CWB released May 26 its Pool Return Outlook (PRO) for the 2006-07 crop year. The Pool A feed barley PRO and the designated barley PRO are unchanged versus the April PRO. Wheat PROs are $2 to $10 per tonne higher versus the April PRO.

The stronger Canadian dollar is having a negative impact on malting barley returns, offsetting higher malting barley price expectations. The U.S. new crop malting barley supply situation is expected to be relatively tight given reduced planted area, which is positive for North American values. Returns in offshore markets are also expected to be slightly stronger.

The Pool A feed barley PRO is unchanged. Global feed grain fundamentals have strengthened since last month. This is especially true of U.S. corn, considering that new crop ending stocks are projected to be substantially tighter due to very strong domestic demand for ethanol production. However, the stronger Canadian has offset stronger price expectations.

Hop production for Idaho, Oregon, and Washington in 2005 totaled 52.9 million pounds (24.045 thousand metric t), down 4 percent from the 2004 crop of 55.2 million pounds (25.1 thousand metric t), and 3 percent below the 2003 production of 54.6 million pounds (24.8 thousand metric t), the U.S. Department of Agriculture released in a National Hop Report.

Idaho's 2005 production increased 4 percent. Production in Washington and Oregon dropped 5 percent and 6 percent, respectively.

Acreage increased in all three states in 2005. Washington showed a 9 percent acreage increased. Idaho and Oregon were both up 1 percent. Yields declined in Washington to 1,871 pounds per acre, and in Oregon to 1,560 pounds per acre. Idaho yields averaged 1,640 pounds per acre, 52 pounds more than a year ago.

Washington growers produced 75 percent of the U.S. hop crop for 2005. Zeus, Columbus/Tomahawk, Galena, and Willamette were the leading varieties in Washington, accounting for 70 percent of the State's hop crop. In Oregon, Willamette and Nugget were the major varieties, accounting for 74 percent of the hops harvested.