Wuliangye gives lower prices a shot

The country's top producer of baijiu, China's famous "white liquor", Wuliangye Group Co Ltd, has lowered some wholesale prices to alleviate the loss of retail dealers, which has forced mid-end distiller brands into a fierce price competition.

The wholesale price of one of the group's key products - 52-proof "crystal" Wuliangye - was cut from 729 yuan ($117) a bottle to 609 yuan, a 16.46 percent reduction.

Zhu Zhongyu, vice-general manager of Wuliangye, said the price change was the result of market research and would continue through the rest of this year.