OREANDA-NEWS. March 29, 2010. Belarusian vodka and hard liquor output increased 1.9% on the year in January-February 2010 to 2.5 million decaliters, told an official with Belarus’ National Statistics Committee.

In monetary terms, vodka and hard liquor output increased 1.9% to 113.7 billion Belarusian rubles (Br).

In the period, cognac output amounted to 41,000 decaliters, up 2.5% on the year. “Cognac” is a name used to denote a type of brandy in the former Soviet Union.

Belarusian output of grape wines decreased 11.2% on the year to 253,000 decaliters, and the output of fruit wines decreased 1.9% to 2.5 million decaliters. The production of sparkling wines went up 15.6% on the year in the period to 215,000 decaliters.

Inventories of vodka and other liquors amounted to 955,000 decaliters on March 1, 2010, 75.9% of the monthly output, to the amount of Br 70.9 billion, 124.7% of the monthly output.

Inventories of wine products were at Br 65.2 billion, 126.9% of the monthly output.

Vodka sales decreased 3.3% on the year in January-February 2010 to 1.749 million decaliters. Sales of other hard drinks rose 19.6% to 237,300 decaliters, sales of grape wines went up 8.1% on the year to 417,700 decaliters.

Sales of cognac went up 13.6% to 44,200 decaliters, sales of sparkling wines went up 4.3% on the year to 173,200 decaliters. Sales of fruit wines decreased 0.8% to 2.348 million decaliters.

The share of vodka in the sales of alcoholic beverages (in absolute alcohol terms on March 1, 2010) in Belarus rose to 47.9% in January-February 2010 from 45.8% in January-February 2009. The share of other hard drinks rose 0.8 of a percentage point to 4.9%. The share of grape wines in alcohol sales edged up 0.3 of a percentage point to 4%.

Fruit wine sales share decreased 0.5 of a percentage point, still remaining high at 29%.

The share of cognac edged up 0.1 of a percentage point to 1.2% and of sparkling wines remained unchanged at 1.3 percentage points.