Most recently we voluntary closed the distribution and fresh-cut facility in Boston, Massachusetts for 10 days, due to team members being diagnosed with the COVID-19.
While we did experience a number of challenges in the quarter that softed top line sales, we took several actions to fortify our business and conserve liquidity, including halting our share repurchase program, reducing our dividend by 50%, postponing non-critical capital investments for the second half of 2020 and establishing measures to reduce selling, general and administrative expenses going forward.
As you're aware, we have a considerable variability in our $1.1 billion credit line.
Our leverage ratio for the first quarter of 2020 was below 3.2 times EBITDA.
Adjusted earnings per diluted share were $0.34 compared with adjusted earnings per diluted share of $0.46 in 2019.
Net sales were $1,118 million compared with $1,154 million in first quarter 2019, with unfavorable exchange rates negatively impacting net sales by $8 million.
We estimate that the COVID-19 pandemic impacted net sales during the first quarter of 2020 by approximately $27 million.
Adjusted gross profit was $77 million compared with $95 million in 2019.
Adjusted operating income for the quarter was $24 million compared with $41 million in the prior year and adjusted net income was $16 million compared with $23 million in the first quarter of 2019.
In regards to the product lines for the first quarter of 2020, in our fresh and value-added business segment, net sales decreased $29 million to $661 million compared with $690 million in the prior year period.
And gross profit decreased $19 million to $43 million compared with $62 million in the first quarter of 2019.
As compared with our original expectations, the COVID-19 pandemic affected our net sales of fresh and value-added products by an estimated $21 million during the quarter.
In our pineapple category, net sales were $102 million compared to $111 million in the prior year period, primarily due to lower sales volume in North America, Asia and Europe as a result of lower production in our Costa Rica and Philippines operations, primarily due to unfavorable growing conditions.
Overall volume was 16% lower.
Unit pricing was 9% higher and unit cost was 6% higher than the prior year period.
In our fresh-cut fruit category, net sales were $118 million in line with the prior year period.
Overall volume and unit pricing were in line with the prior year period and unit cost was 1% higher than the first quarter of 2019.
In our fresh-cut vegetable category, net sales were $103 million compared with $119 million in the first quarter of 2019.
Volume was 12% lower.
Unit pricing was 2% lower and unit cost was 5% higher than the prior year period.
In our avocado category, net sales increased to $94 million compared with $89 million in the first quarter of 2019, primarily due to higher selling prices in North America as a result of lower industry supplies from Chile.
Pricing was 33% higher and unit cost was 44% higher than the prior year period, impacted by start-up costs from our new processing facility in Europe and Mexico.
In our vegetables category, net sales decreased to $39 million compared with $42 million in the first quarter of 2019, primarily due to lower sales volume and selling prices as a result of Mann Packing voluntary product recall and lower sales as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Unit price was in line with the prior year period and unit cost was 9% higher.
In our non-tropical category, which includes our grape, berry, apple, citrus pear, peach, plum, nectarine, cherry and kiwi product lines, net sales increased to $62 million compared with $61 million in the first quarter of 2019.
Volume increased to 9%.
Unit pricing decreased to 7% and unit cost was 8% lower.
Gross profit was impacted by lower sales volume in our meals and snacks product line.
In our banana business segment, net sales decreased to $5 million to $427 million compared with the $432 million in the first quarter of 2019, primarily due to lower net sales in Asia, Europe and North America, partially offset by higher net sales in the Middle East.
As compared with our regional expectations the COVID-19 pandemic affected banana net sales by an estimated $6 million during the quarter.
Overall volume was 1% higher than last year's first quarter.
Worldwide pricing decreased 2% over the prior year period.
Total worldwide banana unit cost was 1% higher and gross profit decreased to $25 million compared to $35 million in the first quarter of 2019.
Selling, general, administrative expenses during the quarter were $53 million compared with $54 million in the first quarter of 2019, mainly due to lower advertising and administrative expenses.
The foreign currency impact at the gross profit level for the first quarter was unfavorable by $6 million compared with an unfavorable effect of $3 million in the first quarter of previous year.
Interest expense net for the first quarter was $5 million compared with $7 million in the first quarter of 2019 due to lower debt levels and interest rates.
Income tax expense was $300,000 during the quarter compared with income tax expense of $9 million in the prior year.
The tax provision for the first quarter of 2020 also includes a $2 million benefit related to net operating losses carry back provision allowed through the recently enacted Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act, the CARES Act.
For the first three months of 2020, our net cash provided by operating activities was $2 million compared with a net cash used in operating activities of $7 million in the same period of 2019.
Our total debt increased from $587 million at the end of 2019 to $599 million at the end of the first quarter of 2020.
As it relates to capital spending, we invested $17 million on capital expenditures in the first quarter of 2020 compared with $34 million in the same period of 2019.

Summary:
Adjusted earnings per diluted share were $0.34 compared with adjusted earnings per diluted share of $0.46 in 2019.
Gross profit was impacted by lower sales volume in our meals and snacks product line.