Tsingtao Brewery, the biggest Chinese beer maker with listings in Shanghai and Hong Kong, has reported that it sold 920,000 tons of beer during the first four months, a 9.67% rise versus the same period last year, China Securities Journal posted. However, the company said it had seen slower sales growth in the wake of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) outbreak.

In the first quarter of this year, Tsingtao sold 630,000 tonnes of beer, up 11 % from the first quarter of last year. Sales volume growth was 21% in 2002.
“It's still early to tell whether we can achieve our target of brewing 3.6 million kilolitres of beer this year,'' the official said. Tsingtao's 47 factories on the mainland have a combined production capacity of 4.6 million kilolitres.

23 May, 2003