Mexican brewer Grupo Modelo, the maker of Corona beer, said it sees export volume growing in the high single digits during the second half of this year, Reuters reported July 20.

"It will be basically in the high single digits," Modelo Chairman and Chief Executive Carlos Fernandez said in a conference call with investors.

Export volume growth in the second quarter was 6.5 percent. Most exports go to the United States.

The company, half-owned by Budweiser brewer Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc., posted a 12.6 percent rise in second-quarter net profit, helped by a jump in export revenue.

Export revenues for the second quarter surged 84 percent, the company said.

Shares of Modelo edged down 0.08 percent to 60.15 pesos in morning trading.

Modelo exports five of the 12 brands of beer that it produces, and has a presence in 150 countries.

Belgian brewer InBev SA will debut in India with German beer Lowenbrau, followed by two more international brands Stella Artois and Beck's, which will hit the Indian market through local bottling in the initial phase, AFX News Limited reported July 24.

InBev India International Ltd, a joint venture with Ravi Jaipuria's RJ Corp, is scouting for potential alliances with independent brewers for rolling out beer, the paper said.

The paper quoted Jaipuria as saying, 'We are talking to all brewers who are not associated with United Breweries Ltd or SABMiller.'

The paper said the joint venture may make a bid to acquire a stake or strike a co-packing alliance with mid-sized independent brewers like Mount Shivalik Industries, which recently indicated an interest in divesting up to 50 pct.

The paper quoted Jaipuria as saying, 'We are working on greenfield projects, but we may have to go for an alliance if we have to hit the market this year.

Czech brewer Budějovický Budvar saw sales of its beer Czechvar soar 58 percent in the U.S. between January and June this year, Budvar’s PR agency said, according to Czech Business Weekly, July 23.

Czechvar is distributed in the U.S. by Budvar’s rival Anheuser-Busch. Budvar management would not disclose the amount of Czechvar sold on the U.S. market, but the company said it believes beer sales in the U.S. will set a record this year. According to available information, up to 8,000 hectoliters per year were sold in the U.S., and the figure might growup to 12,000 hectoliters this year. January to June beer supplies to the domestic market amounted to 319,737 hectoliters, up 11 percent year-on-year.

Crop prospects in the Ukraine and Southern Russia are affected by the long heat wave around the Black Sea, analysts reported July 2.

Barley crop estimates are down to 17 mil tons for Russia and 7 – 8 mil tons for the Ukraine. The Ukrainian government, facing national elections in September, introduced export quotas for all grains, 3000 tons of barley from July till end September, which is equal to an embargo. It is uncertain, when the Ukraine will re-enter export markets. Ukrainian barley exports of the grain year 2006/07 were 4,846 mil tons, Russian exports during July/May 1,396 mil tons. Ukrainian exports in 2007/08, if ever permitted, would hardly be more than 2 mil tons. The quality of malting barley is doubtful after heat, dryness and present rainfalls, which hinder the early harvest.

Estimates are that Russia must import several hundred thousand tons of malting barley this year.

On June 30 the crop year 2006/07 ended, many traders, maltsters and brewers will not forget it, analysts reported July 2. The harvested quantity of 55 mil tons was no record, but not disappointing either. It was the poor condition of the harvested barley after endless rains, which provided for a year-long nightmare of the industries.

It is still unclear, how maltsters secured 100 % of their needed supplies, they reduced production, and bought large amounts of second grade barleys. Nevertheless they maintained a good quality standard of their malt deliveries.

Food use in the EU-25 was 40 Mill. tons, exports to third countries 3,2 mil tons. The EU Commission succeeded to sell virtually all barley intervention stocks, which had been 2,2 mil tons at the beginning of the grain year.