E-Malt.com Flash 52b. December 23

Argentina: Two years after the launch of Iguana premium beer brand, Quilmes returns to compete in the market of international premium beers. With 70% participation in the domestic beer market, Quilmes, has started brewing Stella Artois...more info

Turkey: Anadolu Efes Biracilik ve Malt Sanayi A.S., Turkish malt beverages and brewery company, announced on Friday, December 24, 2004 it has signed a licensing agreement with Foster's Brewing International part of Foster's Group Ltd....more info

China, Beijing: Lanzhou Huanghe Enterprise Co Ltd, Carlsberg's partner in China, said three of the Danish brewery’s new ventures have started operations, with the fourth set to do so next June, AFX posted on December 24. Lanzhou Huanghe's breweries have a total annual capacity of approximately 2.5 million hectoliters, and a 36 % market share in Gansu. In July, Carlsberg and the Denmark-based Industrialization Fund for Developing Countries (IFU) acquired 50% of Lanzhou Huanghe Brewery in northwest China's Gansu province. Carlsberg and the IFU obtained a 40 % share in a new brewery being built in neighboring Qinghai province, with an initial annual capacity of 0.5 million hectoliters of beer. The four breweries in China cost Carlsberg and IFU a total of 115 million dkr. (1 usd = 1.48 dkr)

Romania: Romanian beer market is to reach a value of EUR 600 million this year, corresponding to a consumption of more than 14 million hl of beer, according estimations by the Association of Romanian brewers...more info

Czech Republic: In 2004 Czech brewers are to register the highest figure for beer exports, about 2.4 million hl, a 12% increase versus 2003. The news was revealed by Jan Vesely, the head of the Czech Beer and Malt Association. The most important markets for beer exports are: Germany, Slovakia, UK and USA. According to the estimations of the Czech Beer and Malt Association, Czech beer production is to increase only by 0.5% in 2004, versus 18.55 million hl produced in 2003.

Ukraine: In November this year, beer exports of OAO Slavutich, 85% owned by BBH, increased by 78% versus November 2003 up to 500,000 litres...more info

Malt News

Russia: Finnish Concern Raisio is considering a possibility of creating a malt plant in Russia, Vice-President of Raisio Hannu Maunula mentioned on December 21. He said Baltika Brewery is to be the main customer of malt produced at Raisio plant in Russia. The spokeswoman of Raisio said the Concern is to take a decision regarding expansion of its production capacities in Russia in spring 2005. In particular, there are as well plans to launch production of grain-based products under the brand-name "Nordic". In 2003 Raisio bought a dairy plant near Moscow and invested 2.5 million euros into production of margarine at this plant. Raisio Group is a leading Finnish foods, animal feeds and paper chemicals enterprise. Its subsidiary Raisio Malt is Finland´s largest producer of brewing malt, with an annual capacity of 105,000 tonnes. It has 38 employees.

Theoretical malt prices.

* - 70/30 = 70% Average two Rows Spring and 30% Six Rows Winter
** - 50/50 = 50% Average two Rows Spring and 50% Six Rows Winter

Theoretical malt prices for crop 2005 are available on site www.e-malt.com/MarketPrices

Malting barley prices. French barley prices.

Nominal prices.

nq - Not quoted
Prices for Danish and UK malting barley are available on site www.e-malt.com/MarketPrices

Table of the week

USA Barley Supply and Distribution

MY June/May, TY Oct/Sept	1999/00	2000/01	2001/02	2002/03	2003/04	2004/05
Area harvested, thousand ha	1,851	2,104	1,729	1,669	1,913	1,627
Yield, t/ha	3.2	3.3	3.1	3.0	3.2	3.7
Production, thousand metric t	5,922	6,919	5,407	4,940	6,059	6,080
Imports / Mkt Year, thousand metric t	602	636	521	402	450	435
Imports / Trade Year, thousand metric t	644	663	538	282	498	450
Exports / Mkt Year, thousand metric t	613	1,258	575	659	409	327
Exports / Trade Year, thousand metric t	853	1,068	517	552	357	450
Feed Cons., thousand metric t	2,827	2,663	1,915	1,413	1,245	2,395
Total Cons., thousand metric t	6,571	6,407	5,661	5,179	4,991	6,139
Ending Stocks, thousand metric t	2,424	2,314	2,006	1,510	2,619	2,668

Source: USDA, December 2004

Graph of the week
Italy Beer Market

Agenda

November 2004:
World Brewing Academy Applied Brewing Techniques. Munich, Germany;
World Brewing Academy Concise Course in Brewing Technology. Chicago, Illinois, United States;
INTERNATIONAL EXH FOR FOOD & DRINK INDUSTRY / WORLD FOOD UKRAINE 2004;
INT'L EXH OF WINES, ALCOHOLIC & NON ALCOHOLIC DRINKS & PROTECTION EQUIPMENT / EXPO DRINK 2004. Romania;
TALLINN FOODFEST 2004;
Belgian Beer Fest, Boston MA;
Teach a Friend to Brew Day;
FOOD PROCESSING MACHINERY EXPO 2004;
FISPAL RECIFE 2004 / INTERNATIONAL FOOD FAIR. Brazil.;
BRAU Beviale 2004. Nürnberg, Germany.;
Brewers' Association of America Conference;
Fall Fest-Of-Ale. Janesville, Wisconsin, United States;
Accrington Beer Festival. UK;
FOODAPEST 2004. 7th International Food, Drink and Food Processing Trade Fair;
INTERNATIONAL EXH FOR FOOD INGREDIENTS, ADDITIVES & FLAVOURINGS / INGREDIENTS RUSSIA 2004;
BELPRODUKT International Exhibition for Food and Beverages. Minsk, Belarus ;

December 2004:
FOODEX Food, Beverages and Food Technologies Fair. Ankara, Turkey;
Eten & Genieten Food, Beverages and Kitchen Supplies Exhibition. Amsterdam, Netherlands;
Americas Food & beverage Show and Conference;
Holiday Ale Festival;
Sint Niklaas Visits Brewery Ommegang;
IWEX 2004;
WORLD OF FOOD INDIA 2004;
KerstBierFestival 10th edition! Belgium;
VIETFOOD & DRINK 2004 / 3RD INTERNATIONAL EXH ON FOOD AND DRINK;

January 2005:
Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Festival. Vail CO;
35th Barley Improvement Conference. The American Malting Barley Association;
VIETFOOD (HANOI) 2005;
Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting;

More events are available on site e-malt.com