Record beer sales puts Netherlands near top of export list

Last year Dutch breweries exported a record amount of nearly 1.6 billion euros of beer, a 4 percent increase compared to 2013. After Mexico the Netherlands is the largest beer exporter in the world. This is according to figures released by Statistics Netherlands on Friday. Dutch beer is drunk all over the world. Two thirds of the exports went to non-European markets. Dutch beer is exported to destinations on every continent. In 2014 the United States imported 599 million euros of beer from the Netherlands. That is 4 percent less than in 2013, but the United States is still the largest export destination with 37 percent of the total beer exports going to them. Data from Comtrade shows that Dutch beer forms 19 percent of the US' total beer imports After the US, France and the United Kingdom are the biggest customers for Dutch beer. Exports to France, China and Taiwan increased significantly last year. Mexico is still the largest beer exporter in the world, taking the title from the Netherlands in 2010. Last year Mexico exported 1.8 billion euros of beer. Germany and Belgium placed 3rd and 4th respectively with each country exporting nearly 1.1 billion euros of beer.