The Globe and Mail reports in its Friday edition that Maple Leaf Foods is passing on fuel price increases to its customers as the Iran war remains volatile. A Canadian Press dispatch to The Globe reports chief executive officer Curtis Frank says, "Geopolitical developments, including the conflict involving Iran, are affecting energy markets and increasing transportation costs in the near term." He says the company has tacked on a temporary fuel surcharge to cope with higher transportation costs as fuel prices have jumped. Mr. Frank says, "This provides transparency around the underlying drivers of those increases and will be removed if or as fuel markets normalize." Mr. Frank says he is keeping a close watch on inflationary pressures emerging from the Iran war such as high fuel and fertilizer prices, as well as impacts on feed and crop yields from potential inclement weather. He says: "There's lots to play out. We watch this weekly, if not daily." Maple Leaf posted a first quarter profit of $46.1-million or 37 cents per share, down from $49.6-million or 40 cents per share a year ago, as its sales rose 6.2 per cent. Quarter sales ending March 31 totaled $962.9-million, up from $906.7-million in the previous quarter.