The dairy firm’s operating profit for the first three months of the year rose 4.8 percent to SR291.5 million, it said in a statement on Saudi Arabia’s bourse website.

Almarai said it is satisfied with the overall performance in the first quarter as sales have increased.

“We have been able to maintain/increase our market shares. However, the increase in input costs has resulted in a deterioration in margins as selling prices of fresh products remained unchanged,” the statement added.

It said performance and results of the first quarter had been influenced by the following factors:  Increase in the price of packaging materials,  dairy commodities,  feed costs and  juice concentrate.