Czech Republic Becomes Second Largest Beer Supplier to Russia

The Russian state media outlet RIA Novosti recently reported the largest beer exporters to Russia during the first ten months of 2024.

According to their data, the top suppliers are Germany (105.3 thousand tons), the Czech Republic (33.1 thousand tons), and China (29.8 thousand tons).

This report gained attention in the Czech media, prompting inquiries about its accuracy.

The iDNES portal contacted the Czech Union of Breweries and Malthouses for clarification. However, the organization’s press secretary requested time to verify the figures before commenting.

Meanwhile, the Czech News Agency (ČTK) confirmed that the export volume reported by RIA Novosti aligns with official data from the Czech Statistical Office (ČSÚ). Between January and October 2024, the Czech Republic exported nearly 33.1 thousand tons of beer to Russia—equivalent to approximately 62 million half-liter bottles.

Russia: A Key Market for Czech Beer

During this period, Russia ranked as the third largest export market for Czech beer producers, following Germany and Slovakia. Trinity Bank Chief Economist Lukáš Kovanda revealed that Czech beer exports to Russia increased by 27% year-on-year.

The 2024 export volume even surpassed pre-pandemic and pre-invasion levels. For comparison, from January to October 2019, the Czech Republic exported roughly 60 million bottles of beer to Russia, generating revenues of CZK 613 million. By 2024, this figure rose to 62 million bottles, worth CZK 812 million.

“Despite the invasion of Ukraine and Western sanctions, the Czech Republic exported nearly two million more bottles of beer to Russia in 2024, with revenues approaching CZK 1 billion for the first time in history,” Kovanda explained.

Ethical Concerns Amid Rising Exports

The rising beer exports to Russia amid the ongoing war in Ukraine have sparked criticism. One of Poland’s largest newspapers, Rzeczpospolita, remarked: “Czech breweries have no ethical doubts; for them, profit comes first.”

Poland also appears on the list of Russia’s largest beer suppliers, having exported 18.1 thousand tons from January to October 2024. This places Poland sixth among the top exporters.

Top Beer Suppliers to Russia in 2024

1. Germany – 105.3 thousand tons
2. Czech Republic – 33.1 thousand tons
3. China – 29.8 thousand tons
4. Lithuania – 24.3 thousand tons
5. Belgium – 18.4 thousand tons
6. Poland – 18.1 thousand tons
7. Latvia – 16.5 thousand tons
8. Kazakhstan – 10.9 thousand tons
9. Netherlands – 4.7 thousand tons
10. Austria – 2.3 thousand tons

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