EDINBURGH (Commodity Online) : The United States remained the largest market for Scotch whisky as Americans consumed the malt worth 267.6 million pound in the first half of this year.
According to Scotch whisky Association (SWA), France was the runner-up as the country saw consumption rise 13.09 percent to ￡219.5 million.
They were followed by Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, South Korea, South Africa, Germany, Brazil and the United Arab Emirates, in that order, the statistics showed.
Overall, global Scotch whisky exports rose 21.75 percent in value to ￡1.8 billion in the first half from the previous year, which the association said has defied global economic uncertainty.
Shipments to Central and South America reached ￡214.4 million in the first six months, up 49 percent year-on-year, while those to Asia increased 33 percent to ￡422.5 million, it added.
In terms of volume of shipments, around 569 million bottles of Scotch were sold in the first six months, up 19.53 percent year-on-year and translating into a 5 percent increase on an annualized basis, the association said
The latest SWA statistics indicated that emerging markets in Asia and South America have become increasingly important for the consumption of Scotch.
