Peach crop plump, sweet--and pricey.

• Author: Kretschman, Bob
• Position: [AGRICULTURE] - Brief article

Colorado's peach crop took its time this year, with fruit growing plump and flavorful thanks to an unusually long, cool spring.

Although fruit is ripening 10 to 14 days later than normal, growers say the crop is one of the best in years.

"The peaches are late, but everything is coming off superb. Flavor and size are just awesome," said Carol Zadrozny, owner of Z's Orchard in Palisade.

However, consumers likely are paying more for their fruit this year, not only because of the high quality, but because growers' production costs have increased significantly. Fruit growers have been hammered by rapidly rising costs for fuel, labor, fertilizer and pesticides, and at least part of those cost increases are being passed along to customers.

"All of our expenses are up, big," said Bob Helmer of Alida's Fruits in Palisade. Helmer said his production costs have doubled over the past three years, and product prices reflect those higher costs.

Zadrozny, who sells produce at several weekly farmers' markets from Grand Junction to Breckenridge, said she has tried to hold the line on prices this year at Grand Junction-area...