Berlin  - German beer exports rose 4 per cent to 15.4 million hectolitres last year, with Italy remaining the biggest taker, the German brewers' magazine Brauwelt reported Friday.

After Italy, which imports 4.1 million hectolitres, came France and the United States, with 1.7 million hectolitres each.

Beer imports declined almost 13 per cent to 5.5 million hectolitres. Denmark is the largest exporter to Germany on 2.2 million hectolitres, followed by Belgium on almost 1.4 million and the Czech Republic on just under a million. (dpa)