Shipments of beer by the five largest Japanese brewers amounted to 277,039 kiloliters last month, 2.7 pct more than a year earlier and up for the second straight month, according to data from industry groups, XFN-Asia reported May 15.

Increased marketing efforts helped raise beer shipments last month, the beer association said.

Shipments of low-malt "happoshu" drinks climbed 0.7 pct to 130,115 kiloliters, the first increase in two months while shipments of "third-sector" beverages fell 37.3 pct to 100,608 kiloliters.

Japan's five largest brewers are listed firms Sapporo Breweries Ltd, Asahi Breweries Ltd and Kirin Brewery Co Ltd, as well as Suntory and Orion.

In 30 years the bar number decreased to 40,000 from 200,000, accompanied by a 25% drop in beer sales – 25% in 10 years and 3.6% for 2006. In order to stop the fall in beer consumption, Yves Couette, President of Kronenbourg, announced a refocus of commercial and marketing policy, 500 sales persons being deployed for that.

At this moment 3800 sales points have Excelsius equipment and the rise in beer sales volume reaches 5% (10.3 for 18-34 age group).

Beer sales in the first four months of 2007 reached 1.366 million hectolitres, Union of Brewers in Bulgaria (UBB) said, according to Sofia Echo, May 16.

Beer sales increased by 22 per cent compared to figures for the same period of 2006, investor.bg reported.

Brewers sold 1.119 million hectoliters of beer in the first quarter of 2006. Sales growth for the first quarter is lower compared to the increase for the same period of 2006 but is still sufficiently high.

Beer sales reached 478 602 hectolitres in April 2007, nearly seven per cent higher than in April 2006.

UBB representatives already predicted in the beginning of 2007 a beer sales growth of 10 per cent for the entire year.

Zagorka maintains its position of leading brand, having sold 159 025 hectolitres in April and 450 019 hectolitres for the first quarter of 2007. The company's export reached 167 hectolitres.

Kamenitsa ranks second, achieving sales of 139 867 hectolitres in April and 370 451 hectolitres for the first quarter of 2007. The company ranks first in export with 5185 hectolitres.

Germany produced 977,000 tons of malt in July/January versus 1,110,000 tonnes a year earlier. It looks like a production of 1.7 million tonnes for the crop year, plus 100,000 tonnes of wheat malt, but still 200,000 tonnes less than available malt capacity.

France produced 700,000 tons of malt during the same period, which is 100,000 tonnes less than last year. We assume that France will produce close to 1.2 million tonnes of barley malt and at least 50,000 tonnes of wheat malt, close to its total capacity.

The U.K. reports a production of 890,000 tons of malt in July 1 – February 24, unchanged from a year ago. The pace of production has picked up during winter, therefore we estimate a total production of 1.4 million tonnes in the present campaign, 75,000 tonnes below the known capacity figure.

Russian farmers are still in the process of planting spring grains, media posted on May 2. In general, the moisture situation is considered satisfactory, but late frosts delay seeding. A private barley crop forecast is 17.9 million tonnes versus 18.1 million tonnes last year.

On April 17 only 12.3 % of all spring grains had been planted, ranging from 53 % in the Central District down to 2 – 3 % in the Northwest and Far East. By April 15 Russia had exported 1.28 million tonnes of barley and imported 148,000 tonnes, mainly malting barley. Further shipments are on their way to Russia.

On April 21st 2007, Canada published its proposed regulations amending the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) regulations, the purpose of which is to remove the CWB’s monopoly (single desk) powers over inter-provincial and export trade in barley, according to USDA report, May 14.

The government has given August 1st, 2007 as the implementation date. With a global supply shortage and high market prices for barley, producers who have not yet delivered to the CWB may not honor their contracts with grain companies, thereby potentially forcing the latter to pay the current, higher, market price.

Both the federal government and the CWB appear to be unwilling to force grains producers to honor their contracts, as doing so would risk alienating them before a possible upcoming national plebiscite on retaining the single desk for wheat. In addition to the Canadian and U.S. grain companies, their customers – Canadian and some U.S. malting companies – also stand to be adversely impacted by this situation.