India's beer production surged by 12.3 per cent last year, second only to Vietnam among Asian countries, even as the continent overtook Europe for the first time as the world's biggest beer-producing area since 1974.
Asia beat Europe amid its economic growth with 58.67 million kilolitres of beer produced, up 5.5 per cent from the previous year, a Kirin Holdings Co research arm said yesterday.
Among Asian beer producers, Vietnam saw a 24.3 per cent surge during the period, followed by India at 12.3 per cent and China at 7.0 per cent. But production in Japan dropped by 2.2 per cent.
Asia took the top slot in the ranking list for the first time since 1974, the Kirin Institute of Food & Lifestyle has said.
In contrast, beer output in Europe shrank 5.1 per cent to 55.15 million kl during the 12-month period, Kyodo news agency quoted the institute as saying.
It attributed the decline in Europe to slumping private consumption in the wake of the global financial crisis.
In addition to the year's production expansion, "There is more room for further growth in Asia down the track because Asians' per capita consumption is relatively small," it said.
Worldwide beer output in the period gained 0.4 per cent to 181 million kl, breaking the record for the 25th straight year, it added.
But the pace of growth slowed from the previous year due to the downturn in the global economy, Kirin, one of Japan's premier brewer, said.