Not so peachy: Fruit prices going to be the pits

With rising inflation and less supply of peaches this year due to the cooler weather, expect the fruit to carry a bigger price tag.

Alan Gatzke, owner of Gatzke Orchard in Oyama, said they only have about three-quarters of their regular Redhaven peaches this year and there's an entire plot of peach trees that are bare.

He thinks last year's heat wave, mixed with the winter's cold snap and cooler spring are playing a role with fewer peaches. His other main variety of peaches are OK, he said. You only have to climb 50 metres from his orchard to see empty peach trees, he said.

READ MORE: Cherry farmers worried by unseasonably cold temperatures in British Columbia

The cool weather means most fruit has been delayed this season by a week or two, said Glen Lucas, general manager with the B.C. Fruit Growers Association.

In the South Okanagan, peaches are more in time with the season, but the season is expected to be delayed in the Central and North Okanagan with fewer peaches available. Areas north of Summerland were impacted more than in the south, he said.

“Although with fewer peaches on the trees that typically leads to larger sizes,” he said.

Cooler temperatures are the main reason why there are fewer peaches and the season is at least 10 days late.

“We’re just really starting to see cherries in volume right now and normally we’d hit that before the July 1 long weekend,” Lucas said.

READ MORE: The good news and bad news about this year's Okanagan cherries

With rising inflation and fewer peaches with the same demand, peaches will be more expensive this year, he said.

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