Farmers say they're finding more fruit injured by springtime frost and hail.
The California Tree Fruit Agreement says about 10 percent of peaches and as much as 25 percent of plums and nectarines suffered damage. Some fruit that reaches market may be scarred by hail, but farmers say that won't affect the taste. The shippers say they need the surcharge to offset rising costs for packing and cooling lettuce. Different shippers will raise prices by different amounts. Unlike farmers, produce shippers can adjust their prices to reflect higher costs.