I came across this number today: 6.29 billion liter of Baijiu (a traditional Chinese liquor) was produced in 2023.
I am wondering how to make sense of this.
1 liter = ~0.9kg or 18 liang (δΈ€, a traditional Chinese measurement)
6.29 billion liter = 4.5 liter per person, or 81 liang
So if all produced were consumed, it’s 81 liang per person per year, or 1.5 liang per week.
If you assume children (250mn below 15) and many women don’t drink Baijiu that much, it could 3 liang per adult male per week.
It sounds like a pretty high number. One typically won’t drink 3 liang if eat at home. It’s usually for dinning out with business or other occasions.
Considering how occasions like this would decrease over time – younger generation might prefer a different life style, or businesses could be done without being drunk at dinners, it’s hard not to question about how much Baijiu China needs to consume each year.
I won’t be surprised if the volume can be down 1/3 or 1/2 from here in decades, assuming no export or store of value etc.