Vietnamese people spent at least US$3.1 billion for drinking 3.14 billion liters of beer in 2014, excluding imported beer, according to the Vietnam Beverages Association (VBA) released today.

Both the production capacity and consumption level of beer increased in Vietnam, it added. The production capacity of Vietnam increased 8.1 percent against the previous year.

Saigon Beverages Company (Sabeco) accounted for the biggest market share of beer production in Vietnam last year, with 1.3 billion liters. Hanoi Beverages Company (Habeco) followed with 637 million liters.

Other trademarks as Heineken, Tiger, and Huda reached 890 million liters.

However, VBA chairman Nguyen Van Viet rejected the conclusion that Vietnam ranks among the top beer-consumption nations in the world. He attributed that Vietnam consumed on average 30 liters per adult a year, ranking at the 50th place and the average level in the world.

Last year, many beer production project were invested such as the Saigon – Kien Giang Beer factory with the production capacity of 50 million liters a year. Habeco invested a production line of beer tin cans, at the capacity of 60,000 cans an hour.

In 2013, Vietnamese brewers collectively produced 2.9 billion liters of beer, a 7.4 percent increase compared to a year earlier.