PAT stood at Rs 257.01 crore in the quarter ended September 30, 2014, Tata Chemicals, which has interests in chemicals, crop nutrition and consumer products, said in a release here.
Total income increased by 4 per cent to Rs 4,996.92 crore from Rs 4,793.50 crore in the same period of last year.
Tata Chemicals Managing Director R Mukundan said, "The quarter saw the chemicals and consumer business portfolio registering satisfactory numbers. The marked improvement in chemicals business has been a reflection of the improved performance at Magadi (plant in Kenya)."
"An uneven and deficit monsoon has impacted fertiliser and other agri-input businesses," he said.
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Improved volumes of pulses, which grew by 70 per cent over last year, salt and non-bulk agri business also contributed to the higher turnover, he said.
Better contribution, reflecting reduced energy costs, and overall improved performance of the chemical business, as well as positive performance by all the other businesses took the consolidated revenue to Rs 4,997 crore, up 4 per cent over the last quarter of FY14-15.
"In line with our focus on expanding the consumer products business, we launched a range of spices in the last quarter, bringing everyday food products, including pulses, under the newly introduced umbrella brand, Tata Sampann. The nutraceuticals business also grew its reach with our product 'FOS' now available across 70 cities in India."
In the fertiliser business, the subsidy outstanding is Rs 1,005 crore as on September 30, 2015, and still remains a challenge, he said.