Alcohol, Latvia, Markets and Companies

Overall, 5,018,354 decaliters of alcoholic beverages were up for sale in Latvia in the first nine months this year, compared to 5,263,575 decaliters in the respective period of 2007, writes LETA.

Revenue from the excise tax on alcoholic beverages, however, increased 1.6% year-on-year.

According to the Revenue Service's data, the proportion of alcoholic beverages produced in Latvia in the total amount of alcoholic beverages sold in the country was 49% in the first nine months this year, compared to 53% in January-September 2007.

Beer sales contracted 3.3% in the first nine months this year, whereas revenue from the excise tax on beer decreased 3.6%.

Beer produced by Latvian breweries accounted for 82% of all beer available in stores.

The total amount of beer sold or yet-to-be sold in Latvia was 117.6 million liters in the first nine months this year.

10,724,000 decaliters of beer was produced in Latvia in the first nine months, or 6% less than in the respective period of 2007. 7% of the total volume of beer produced in Latvia was exported, of which three-fourths was exported to Lithuania.

22.3 million liters of beer was imported in Latvia in January-September, of which 82% was imported from other European Union member states. The total amount of beer imported in Latvia decreased 6%, compared to the first nine months last year, said the Revenue Service.

LVL 76.2 million was collected altogether in excise tax on alcoholic beverages in the first nine months this year, or 1% more than in the respective period of 2007 (LVL 75.45 million).