Non-Tariff Barriers

Non-Tariff Measure

NTM classification

A33: Packaging requirements 

Date when the measure came into force

18 June 1976 

Publication where the measure is specified

Laws of Botswana Chapter 74:06 

Regulation where the measure is specified

Maize (Classification and Grading) Regulations 

Country/Region applying the measure

Botswana 

The rationale of the measure

No specific objective stated 

Coded list of objectives

X: For purposes n.e.s. 

Description of the measure

8. Packing of maize
(1) Maize shall either be bought or sold or bought and sold by the Board either in bulk or in grain bags.
(2) Grain bags in which maize is either bought or sold or bought and sold shall be new or good second-hand grain bags which-
(a) shall be manufactured from jute or phormium or jute and phormium;
(b) shall have a superficial measurement of not less than 7 484 cm2 and not more than 8
065 cm2 and which have been woven with porter and shot (warp and weft threads) of not less than-
(i) in the case of a jute bag and a jute-and-phormium bag, 32 warp and 32 weft threads per 100 mm;
(ii) in the case of a phormium bag, 36 warp and 40 weft threads per 100 mm; and
(iii) in the case of a B-Twill bag, 24 warp and 32 weft threads;
(c) are strong enough for the conveyance of 100 kg net maize and are not so weathered or worn that they will break during normal handling, or, when empty, will tear if one end is held down with the flat heel and the other end is pulled by hand;
(d) be clean and not stained by any colouring substance or impregnated by any liquid capable of imparting stains, excluding trade marks or normal discolouration due to exposure to the sun;
(e) be free from holes but may be darned with twine of which the tensile strength shall be not less than 40 newtons, or patched where necessary:
Provided that-
(i) none of the darns shall exceed 26 cm2 and that such darns shall overlap the small holes on all sides by at least 13 mm;
(ii) the darns shall be cross-stitched by hand with jute twine or machine-darned in such a manner that the darns correspond in closeness to the weave of the bag and that the material of the bag is not pulled together, thereby causing the snapping or displacement of the strands of the bag or the darns when the bag is filled with maize;
(iii) except for not more than two patches (one on each side) of not more than 38 mm by 254 mm each allowed at the mouth of the bag to cover cuts and affixed as indicated in paragraph (v), none of the other patches shall exceed 39 cm2;
(iv) patches, whether stitched or affixed with an adhesive, shall not overlap;
(v) patches shall be properly hand-sewn to the bags with jute twine or properly machine-darned over the entire surface of the patch with twine, the tensile strength of which shall be not less than 40 newtons;
(vi) patches affixed with an adhesive shall be properly affixed and will not be allowed to be closer than 150 mm from the mouth of the bag; and
(vii) bags of which the mouth sections have been replaced shall not be acceptable. 

Reference of the measure

Article 8 

Measure also domestic

Yes 

Products affected by the measure.

Description

Maize 

Countries/Regions affected by the measure.

Description

Entire world