Macedonian beer exports twice as large as imports this year — drunk most in Kosovo and Albania

Macedonian beer is having a strong export year. In the first seven months of 2026, the country exported 7.1 million litres of beer — more than during the whole of 2025, when exports reached 6.15 million litres, according to data from the State Statistical Office, cited by Skopje info. After last year’s fall in production, the beer industry is this year recording a marked improvement in export results and a positive trade balance.

After last year’s trade deficit in beer, when 12.6 million litres were imported into the country and 6.15 million litres exported, a turnaround has been recorded this year. As Skopje info writes, in the January–July 2026 period exports reached 7.1 million litres — respectively 7,105,529 litres worth €5.63 million — against imports of 3,080,359 litres worth €2.13 million. Exports are more than 2.3 times larger than imports by quantity and 2.6 times larger by value.

Kosovo and Albania remain the main markets for Macedonian beer. Last year, Kosovo accounted for about 70 per cent of total exports, while together with Albania they reach about 93 per cent of all exports. Exports to EU countries exist, but in markedly smaller quantities, among them Malta, Croatia, Austria, Germany, Poland and Slovenia. The average export price is about €0.71 per kilogram of beer; it has the highest price per litre in the U.S. market (€1.22 per kilogram), Australia (€0.92) and Switzerland (€1.03), and the lowest in Serbia (€0.54), Kosovo (€0.69) and Albania (€0.70).

Meanwhile, last year North Macedonia produced 659,980 hectolitres of beer, a fall of 5.7 per cent compared with 700,025 hectolitres in 2024. According to data from the State Statistical Office, cited by Skopje info, beer exports are relatively stable and move at around 6.4 million litres a year, while over three years imports have grown by 25.3 per cent — from 10 million litres in 2022 to 12.6 million litres in 2025 — showing that the domestic market is increasingly being supplied with imported brands. Five countries provide about 74 per cent of total beer imports: Poland (22.5 per cent), Serbia (19.5 per cent), Romania (11.8 per cent), Greece (10.6 per cent) and Germany (9.2 per cent).

If the trend of the first seven months continues until the end of the year, 2026 will be the best year for Macedonian beer’s foreign trade results in recent years, with a marked trade surplus and a strong export orientation, as Skopje info writes. The regional Western Balkan markets carry the largest part of exports, while Mexican and Slovenian beer rank among the most expensive import categories, testifying to the presence of premium brands in the market.