TORONTO -- Higher prices for fresh pork and bacon helped push up sales at Maple Leaf Foods in the second quarter, as the food company continued with its restructuring efforts.

The Toronto-based meat processor, which also makes hot dogs and deli meats, said its total sales rose to $831.7 million, up 9.6 per cent year-over-year, due to the higher prices but were partially offset by lower volumes, with consumers buying less.

However, Maple Leaf (TSX:MFI) said its adjusted operating earnings came in at a loss of $12.1 million, or 13 cents per share, in the three-month period ended June 30. Analysts had been expecting a loss of 12 cents per share, according to a poll by Thomson Reuters. This compared with a loss of $32.3 million, or 25 cents per share, in the same period a year ago.

Accounting for continuing operations, the loss increased to $39.5 million, or 28 cents per share, compared with a loss of $38.4 million, or 27 cents per share in the same quarter last year. The company said the net loss included $20 million of pre-tax expenses related to restructuring and other related costs.

Along with the weak Canadian dollar, Maple Leaf Foods said it is still being impacted by the outbreak of the Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus, which has killed millions of piglets since it was discovered last year.

The virus does not affect humans or the food they consume, but is estimated to have wiped out about 10 per cent of the U.S. pig population and has been blamed for recent increases in bacon and pork prices. Farmers have struggled to control the virus, because little is known about how it spreads and there is not yet a federally approved vaccine in the U.S.

The company is in the midst of a major restructuring plan that's part of an effort to improve efficiencies. In April, it announced it was closing its wiener production plant in Hamilton to a new bigger facility in the same city, west of Toronto.

The company also planned on to close four meat plants by the end of the year. Once its restructuring plan is finished, it will operate 13 meat plants instead of 22, and two distribution centres instead of 19.

Chief executive Michael McCain said the company was making "good progress" on its strategic agenda, although transition costs continue to be significant.

"We implemented material price increases during the second quarter which going forward will fully offset significant raw material cost increases to date," he said in a statement.

"Our progress in converting to the new supply chain continues as performance improves in our Western facilities and commissioning of the new flagship plant in Hamilton, Ontario is underway."

The company has said once its restructuring plan is finished, it will operate 13 meat plants instead of 22, and two distribution centres instead of 19.

In February, Maple Leaf agreed to sell its 90 per cent stake in Canada Bread to Grupo Bimbo, a Mexican company that is offering about $1.83 billion to buy out Maple Leaf and minority shareholders.

Maple Leaf also sold its Rothsay rendering business, which had operations in several provinces, to Texas-based Darling International, and found buyers in Ontario for its commercial turkey farms, hatchery operation and breeding farms.

The company has about 18,000 employees across North America, the United Kingdom, and Asia.