Alcohol, Analytics, Latvia

In total, 16 million liters of alcohol have been been distributed to retail outlets, according to State Revenue Service's data on the turnover of excise goods.

In the first quarter of the year 2008, 29 million liters of beer have been distributed, informs LETA.

Alcohol, produced in Latvia, makes up 48% of the total sales volume; last year the figure was 53%.

16 breweries, authorized by the State Revenue Service to produce beer, have produced 2.974 million decaliters of beer, which is 10% more than last year.

According to the data, submitted by Latvia's beer producers, 79% of the beer produced has been sold in Latvia. The beer sales volume in Latvia's market has only increased by one%, compared to the first quarter of 2007.

Beer makes up 64% of the total alcohol consumed, but, due to the low taxation, excise tax income from beer is only 7% of the total income from alcohol, the State Revenue Service points out.

Total excise tax revenue from alcohol in the first quarter of the year was LVL 25.8 million, which is LVL 1.8 million or 7% more than in the same period of time last year.