* Q1 EBIT about NOK 960 million vs 608 in year-ago period
* Total harvest 76,000 tonnes, above guidance
(adds analyst, details)
OSLO, April 14 (Reuters) - World number one fish farmer Marine Harvest said first-quarter operating profit soared from a year ago as harvest volumes exceeded expectations.
Operating profit at the Norwegian company grew 58 percent to about 960 million crowns ($176.6 million), it said on Thursday in an update of its earnings before the full quarterly report next month.
The total salmon harvest of 76,000 tonnes beat its forecast from the previous quarter of 73,000 tonnes. In the first quarter last year, total harvest was 73,061 tonnes.
Marine Harvest said average prices in the contract portfolio for the remainder of 2011 were up to 40 crowns per kg.
Operational EBIT per kg for MH Norway was approximately 13.40 crowns in the quarter.
"The figures are about three to four percent higher than my estimates, and a little weaker on EBIT per kg in Norway than expected, but on the other hand the total volume is higher," said Nordea analyst Kolbjoern Giskeoedegaard.
"That means that even though earnings in Norway are a bit lower than expected, it is a bit better than expected in other regions," Giskeoedegaard added.
The firm said it expected feed prices to decline in the second half of 2011 and in 2012 as higher wild catch quotas in South American fisheries were expected to positively influence raw material prices.
Marine Harvest will release its full first-quarter report on May 11. (Reporting by Victoria Klesty and Joachim Dagenborg)