Total Produce pre-tax profits up 2.3%

Fruit distribution company Total Produce has marginally increased its 2012 earnings per share guidance, on the back of a strong set of figures for last year.

The Dublin-based firm — which is the former general produce arm of Fyffes — yesterday reported a 2.3% increase in 2011 pre-tax profits, to €34.4m and a 5.8% rise in adjusted earnings per share to 7.24c.

Management has also proposed a final dividend of 1.35c per share, which boosts the total dividend for 2011 by 6% to 1.89c.