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China to remain world's largest beer producer

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-08-24 11:34

The China Alcoholic Drinks Industry Association said Sunday the country is hopefully to become the world's largest beer producer for the eighth year in a row in 2009 with the production of 20.5 million tons for the first half.

The association's director Wang Yancai made the remarks at the ongoing Qingdao International Beer Festival in Qingdao, East China's Shandong province.

Wang said the country's breweries made 20.5 million tons of beer for the first six months, up 6 percent from the corresponding period last year.

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China has been making 40 million tons of beer annually in recent years, compared with 24 million tons by the world's second largest producer, the United States, and 12 million tons by Germany that has a long history of beer production.

China became the world's largest beer producer in 2002. It has 251 beer companies and 550 breweries, whose products are mainly for domestic consumption.

The market potential of beer was shown at the ongoing Qingdao International Beer Festival, a famous annual event held in the coastal city Qingdao since 1991, with 250,000 visitors drinking 68 tons on Aug. 15, the first day of the festival.