The Swiss group Nestle, the world's leading food industry group, released on Thursday first-quarter sales figures that missed analysts' forecasts as growth slowed in emerging markets.

In the first three months of the year, Nestle's sales rose by 5.4 percent to 21.9 billion Swiss francs ($23.6 billion), a statement said.

Nestle said the figures showed that the group was in line to perform as expected in 2013, but analysts polled by financial news agency AWP felt they were a disappointment, given expectations of 22.5 billion Swiss francs in sales.

"The start to the year reflects the caution we expressed in February," Nestle Chief Executive Paul Bulcke was quoted as saying.

The firm said it had recorded organic growth of 4.3 percent during the first quarter, missing its  objective of between 5.0 and 6.0 percent.

The price of shares in the group fell by 1.1 percent to 63.60 Swiss francs in morning trading on a Swiss stock exchange that was down by 0.2 percent overall.

Nestle noted "contrasting trading conditions across different regions," with robust 8.4 percent growth in emerging markets, but just 0.9 percent growth in developed markets.

All was not rosy in emerging markets however, Nestle acknowledged, as "events in the Middle East were disruptive," with the destruction of a plant in Syria that had served several markets in the region.

"There was some softening in certain markets, especially in comparison to the first quarter of 2012," it added.

AFP