Fruit and vegetable distributor Total Produce has reported pre-tax profits of €21.7m for the six months to the end of June, a 5.5% increase on the same time last year. Revenues were up 1.7% to €1.33 billion.
The company said that after a slow start to the year due to the unusually cold weather throughout Europe, demand for its produce recovered. The company also benefited from favourable currency movements.
It said it was maintaining its interim dividend at 0.54 cent per share.
Total Produce's chairman Carl McCann said that assuming current trading conditions continue, the company is now targeting adjusted earnings per share towards the upper end of its annual target range of 5.5 to 6.5 cent per share.
The group said its fresh produce division saw a strong performance despite the difficult weather conditions at the start of the year with some geographic areas performing better than others.
But it said that its consumer goods and healthfoods distribution division continud to be affected by adverse trading conditions in that sector.
