The Lithuanian spirits producer, Vilniaus Degtine, reported an unaudited net profit of LL623,000 (€180,579) for 2002, against a loss of LL1.037m (€0.3m) in 2001.

The company, one of the country’s liquor producers slated for privatisation, posted sales of LL25.95m (€7.5m), up 1.1% from 2001.

Sales in volume terms rose by 5.7% to 318,800 decalitres from 301,600 decalitres in 2001. The company is forecasting a 10% increase in output for 2003. As it heads for privatisation, Degtine is currently valued at around LL20m (€5.7m).