The Fresh Produce Consortium has issued the following newsletter regarding the EU marketing standard for apples.
The size and weight requirements within the EU marketing standard for apples had been due to be revised, with changes applying from 1 August 2005.
Last month the European Commission decided to postpone the planned reductions in weight and diameter.
A regulation has now been published to set the date for the application of the size reduction as June 1, 2008 (Commission Regulation 1238/2005 published on July 30, 2005).
Given the short notice of the postponement of the change, it is possible that importers would have had consignments underway that met the planned criteria, but would not meet the criteria that actually apply.
To allow for this possibility the regulation also specifies that operators who concluded contracts before August 1, 2005 on the basis of the reduced sizing requirements may market the apples covered by those contracts, as long as the member state authority (in the case of the UK: Defra Horticulture Marketing Inspectorate) is satisfied with the arrangement.
If you are in this situation, please contact the Horticultural Marketing Inspectorate.
To confirm, the sizing requirements in place are as follows:
Large fruited varieties (diameter)
Extra 70mm; Class I 65mm; Class II 65mm
Other varieties (diameter)
Extra 60mm; Class I 55mm; Class II 55mm
Large fruited varieties (weight)
Extra 140g; Class I 110g; Class II 110g
Other varieties (weight)
Extra 90g; Class I 80g; Class II 80g
The new regulation also makes some amendments to the non-exhaustive list of apple varieties:
Dalili (trade name Ambassy) is reclassified as a mutant of Delcorf
Ginger Gold is reclassified as a trade name with Mountain Cove as its variety name
Crimson Bramley’s colour group has been amended to D
Oregon (a mutant of Red Delicious) has been renamed Trumdor
Golden Supreme is reclassified as a trade name with Gradicold as the variety name
The following names have been added to the list of mutants of Red Delicious:
Camspur (trade name Redchief)
Evasni (trade name Scarlet Spur)
Flatrar (trade name Starkspur Ultra Red)
Sandidge (trade name Super Chief)
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