Australian drinks giant Foster’s yesterday said it hoped to make a final decision on whether to separate its wine and beer divisions by March or April next year.

Foster’s said demerging the businesses would depend on the benefits to shareholders and the prevailing economic environment.

“We’ve said quite explicitly that we were considering the possibility of a demerger, that we’d have to look at all possibilities relating to the demerger,” chairman David Crawford said.

“Ultimately it would be a decision for shareholders to decide whether they voted in favour of that.” Mr Crawford said Foster’s hoped that if a demerger went ahead, it would take place in the first half of 2011.

“If we were to comply with that timetable, we would need to have a proposal going to shareholders around about March or April of next year,” he said.