Shipments of beer and quasi-beer beverages in Japan posted year-on-year growth for the second straight month in August thanks to a summer heat wave, JCN reported September 12.

Overall shipments increased 1.2 pct from a year earlier to 49,772,000 cases, but the pace of growth was relatively small as Japan also had a very hot summer last year. Each case contains the equivalent of 20 633-milliliter bottles.

The so-called third-segment beverages with little or no malt content jumped 9.3 pct to 9,451,000 cases, posting a record for August and the fourth straight increase.

Beer shipments declined 0.2 pct to 28,867,000 cases, the first fall in two months.

Shipments of "happoshu" low-malt quasi-beer beverages dropped 1.2 pct to 11,454,000 cases, down for the fourth consecutive month.

Among major brewers, Asahi Breweries Ltd. and Suntory Ltd. posted rises, while Kirin Brewery Co. and Sapporo Breweries Ltd. logged small falls.

It is possible to see an increasing price for beer again, Het Belang van Limburg journal reported, according to RTL, September 14. The cause is the rising price of raw materials. Alken-Maes has already increased the price of barrel and beer box by 2.5%. InBev and Primus are still waiting. “But next year we will certainly not have other choice than to increase the price too”, Olav Blancquaert, Suvel Moortgat sales manager said.

“Before the summer we have already increased the price of beer box by 2.5%”, Katrien Adriaens from d’Alken-Maes said. The costs continued to rise and from September 2, we have been obliged to increase the beer price too.” InBev and Primus have not yet decided over a rise. “But we are evaluating the situation continuously”, InBev said.

In the first eight month of 2007, Latvian breweries sold 98.536 mil litres of beer, 1.9% less than in the same period of 2006, Russian Beer Union reported September 12.

“Sales volume is steady, and is not due to price increase but to weather conditions”, Peteris Lininsh, Latvian Beer Union Executive Director, said.

As usual the market leader is Aldaris brewery, with 42.97% or 42.344 mil litres. Beer sales increased 6.6% and market share – 3.25% in 2007.

Second placed is Cēsu alus brewery, with 22.035 mil liters in sales, 16.6% more than in the first eight month of 2006. Third is placed Līvu alus with 12.155 mil litres.

Other sales volumes for first 8 month of 2007 are: Lāčplēša alus (4.884 mil litres), Mamas D (4.472), Bauskas alus (3.459), Tērvete (3.102), Piebalgas alus (2.496), Alus nams (1.261).

The USDA forecasts a cut in Australian barley production of one million tonnes because of the dry weather, according to Australasian Investment Review, September 13. Much of barley is grown in South Australia where dry weather hit 10 days ago and has continued off and on. Parts of Western Australia have also been very dry in the past month, hence the reductions in estimates.

Australia barley production is cut 1.0 million tons reflecting dry conditions that are expected to have an even greater impact on barley than wheat because of its earlier maturity.

China’s barley imports lag miles behind normal figures and will probably not even reach 1 million tonnes this year, analysts commented on September 2. China’s barley crop is 3.5 million tonnes, of which an estimated 2.2 million tonnes of malting barley. Beer and malt production increase continuously. Demand for malting barley in 2008 will be 4.5 million tonnes.

Malting barley production in Inner Mongolia, 400,000 tonnes this year, is considered a major domestic source for the future. Farmers in Heilongjiang, though, were disillusioned and dropped barley growing, from a crop of 300 to 150,000 tonnes.

Australia’s barley fields are badly stressed only in parts of the country, but rains are now required urgently, as spring starts and temperatures rise, analysts commented on September 3rd. Australia is losing meat export markets to North America, which could possibly cut the domestic feed barley demand from 1,5 to 0,5 Mill. tons. Present new crop price levels FOB seaports are US$ 320,- for feed, 330,- for malting barley, US$ 410,-/420,- for malting barley CIF China.