The decline in Scotch whisky exports is slowing, as industry exports in the first half of the year totalled £1.7 billion.

Czech brewery Budweiser Budvar has announced record levels of exports amid volume growth of 5.5% and net profit increases of 9.2%.

The scotch whisky category belied global economic instability in 2011 by growing sales value 23% to a record £4.2billion.

Budvar has reported record export results for 2011.

The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has announced that the value of scotch exports for the first half of 2011 is up 22%

UK: The deputy prime minister Nick Clegg MP raised a glass to scotch whisky exports – up 12% in the first ten months of 2010.

Czech beer Budvar bucked a 12% decline in Czech beer exports in 2010 to record growth of 4%.

Scotch whisky exports are up 17% compared with last year, with nine of the category’s top ten markets in growth.

According to the Scotch Whisky Association more than 5 bottles of scotch are shipped to France every second.

Global exports of scotch whisky reached record levels in 2009 despite the economic downturn in some major markets, according to annual figures published by the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA).