According to recent data, Germany, the Czech Republic, and China are the top suppliers of beer to Russia, with Germany leading at 105.3 thousand tons, followed by the Czech Republic at 33.1 thousand tons and China at 29.8 thousand tons. The report, which has sparked significant attention in Czech media, raised questions about the accuracy of the figures.
The iDNES portal reached out to the Czech Union of Breweries and Malthouses for clarification. The organization’s press secretary, however, requested additional time to verify the data before providing an official statement. Meanwhile, the Czech News Agency (ČTK) confirmed that the export figures reported by RIA Novosti align with 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 Emerges as a Major Market for Czech Beer
During this period, Russia became the third-largest export market for Czech beer, trailing only Germany and Slovakia. Lukáš Kovanda, Chief Economist at Trinity Bank, noted that Czech beer exports to Russia surged by 27% year-on-year. The 2024 export volume even exceeded pre-pandemic and pre-invasion levels. For instance, from January to October 2019, the Czech Republic exported around 60 million bottles of beer to Russia, generating CZK 613 million in revenue. By 2024, this figure rose to 62 million bottles, with revenues reaching 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 stated.
Ethical Dilemmas Amid Rising Exports
The increase in beer exports to Russia during the ongoing war in Ukraine has drawn criticism. Rzeczpospolita, one of Poland’s largest newspapers, commented, “Czech breweries have no ethical doubts; for them, profit comes first.” Poland also features on the list of Russia’s top beer suppliers, having exported 18.1 thousand tons from January to October 2024, placing it sixth among the largest exporters.
Top Beer Suppliers to Russia in 2024
The list of Russia’s largest beer suppliers for the first ten months of 2024 is as follows:
- Germany – 105.3 thousand tons
- Czech Republic – 33.1 thousand tons
- China – 29.8 thousand tons
- Lithuania – 24.3 thousand tons
- Belgium – 18.4 thousand tons
- Poland – 18.1 thousand tons
- Latvia – 16.5 thousand tons
- Kazakhstan – 10.9 thousand tons
- Netherlands – 4.7 thousand tons
- Austria – 2.3 thousand tons
The data highlights the complex interplay between economic interests and ethical considerations as Czech breweries continue to expand their presence in the Russian market.
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