Dole Food Co Inc. moved to a loss in the fourth quarter, hurt by higher restructuring costs and lower banana prices in Asia.

After the Monday markets closed, the Westlake fresh fruit and vegetable producer reported a fourth quarter loss from continuing operations of $36 million (-41 cents per share), compared with net income of $16 million a year earlier. Revenue rose 1 percent to $1.56 billion.

Excluding restructuring and other costs, the per-share loss from continuing operations was 31 cents. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters on average expected the company to report per-share earnings of 18 cents on revenue of $1.55 billion.

Chief Executive David DeLorenzo said a variety of concerns hurt production and sales in the quarter, including higher costs at its Latin American banana plantations due to bad weather combined with lower prices in Asia for bananas.

The company, controlled by billionaire David Murdock, who holds 45 percent of shares through trusts, did see some bright spots in the quarter. Its North America fresh vegetables unit more than doubled its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), while its packaged foods division achieved another record year.

“With a difficult fourth quarter behind us, and with market prices improving, we are focused on a strong recovery in 2011,” said DeLorenzo in a statement.

Shares fell 5.7 percent in after-hours trading. They had earlier closed up 47 cents, or 3.4 percent to $14.32 on the New York Stock Exchange.