OREANDA-NEWS. Belarus decreased the output of all kinds of alcoholic beverages (vodka, hard liquor, fermented beverages - fruit wines, mixed drinks with alcohol content - sparkling wine), except grape wine and brandy in January-July 2014, an official with Belarus' National Statistics Committee (Belstat) told.

Belarus' vodka and hard liquor output decreased 9.7% on the year in January-July 2014 to 7.18 million decaliters. In July alone they produced 724 million dal of vodka and hard liquors, down 10.9% year in year, down 38.3% on the month.

The output of grape wine grew 3% year on year in Jan-Jul 2014 to 1.707 million dal; sparkling wines - down 28.6% year on year to 628,000 dal; brandy - up 0.5% to 187,000 dal; fermented beverages - down 2.9% to 6.538 million dal.

Inventories of vodka and other liquors stood at 1.736 million decaliters as of August 1, 2014, 169.2% of the average monthly output. Stock reserves of cognac stood at 26,000 decaliters, 97.3% of the average monthly output; sparking wines - 130,000 dal (144.7% of the average monthly output), grape wines - 242,000 dal (99.2%), fermented drinks - 394,000 dal, 42.3% of the average monthly output.