Moutai targets 9% sales growth

Liquor maker's goal is lowest in 5 years amid govt austerity campaign

Kweichow Moutai Co Ltd, maker of what is known as the "national liquor" of China, announced on Wednesday it was lowering its sales target this year to 43.9 billion yuan ($7.16 billion) - which, at only 9 percent growth, is the first time the company has projected a single-digit rise in the past five years.

In mid-January, the company said it was anticipating 12.5 percent growth in 2014 and that it expected to break 45 billion yuan in sales.