Non-Tariff Barriers

Non-Tariff Measure

NTM classification

B7: Product quality, safety or performance requirements 

Date when the measure came into force

24 January 2004 

Publication where the measure is specified

Government Gazette No 25605, 24 October 2003 

Regulation where the measure is specified

Regulations Relating To the Grading, Packing and Marking of Canned Vegetables Intended For Sale in the Republic of South Africa 

Country/Region applying the measure

South Africa 

Coded list of objectives

X: For purposes n.e.s. 

Description of the measure

Styles and standards for styles
17 (2) (a) Canned asparagus shall be presented as one of the following styles:
(ii) Long spears
(iii) Spears
(iii) Tips
(iv) Cuts and heads or cut spears
(v) Cuts
(b) (i) Long asparagus spears shall consist of the head and adjoining portion of the stalk not more than 180mm, but not less than 150 mm in length.
(ii) Asparagus spears shall consist of the head and adjoining portion of the stalk less than 150 mm, but not less than 100 mm in length.
(iii) Asparagus tips shall consist of the head and adjoining portion of the stalk less than 100 mm, but not less than 40 mm in length.
(iv) Cuts and heads or cut asparagus spears shall consist'of stalks cut transversely into pieces with and without heads, not more than 60mm, but not less than 20 mm in length. At least 20% (by count) of pieces with heads must be present, except that when the spears are cut into pieces of 30 mm or less in length, at least 10% (by count) of pieces with heads must be present.
(v) Asparagus cuts shall consist of portions of stalks cut transversely into pieces not more than 60 mm in length. Pieces with heads may be present.
Colour tvpes and standards for colour lypes
(3) (a) Canned asparagus shall be presented as one of the following colour types:
(i) White
(ii) White and blue tipped; white and green tipped
(iii) Green
(iv) Mixed
(b) (i) White means units which are white, cream or yellowish white and not more than 20% (by count) of the units may possess blue, green, light green, or yellowish green tips.
(ii) White and blue tipped; white and green tipped means "long shoots", "shoots" and "tips" which are white, cream, or yellowish-white and may have blue, green, light green or yellowish-green heads and adjacent
areas but not more than 25% (by count) of the units may have such colour that extends more than one-half the length of the unit.
(iii)Green means units which are green, light green, or yellowish-green and not more than 20 % (by count) oft he units may possess a white, cream, or yellowish-white colour of the bottom portion of the stalk, but such colour shall not extend more than one-half of the length of the unit.
(iv)Mixed shall consist of a mixture of white, cream, yellowish-white, blue, green, light green, or yellowish-green units.
Size groups and standards for size groups
(4) (a) Canned asparagus long shoots, shoots and tips may be presented as one of the following size groups:
(ii) Small
(ii) Medium
(iii) Large
(iv) Extra Large (Mammoth)
(v) Blend of sizes or Assorted sizes
(b)(i) "Small" asparagus shall have a diameter of-
(aa) maximum 8 mrn in the case of peeled asparagus; and
(bb) maximum 10 mm in the case of unpeeled asparagus.
(ii) "Medium" asparagus shall have a diameter between
(aa) 8 mm and 13 mm in the case of peeled asparagus; and
(bb) 10 mm and 15 mm in the case of unpeeled asparagus.
(iii) "Large" asparagus shall have a diameter between
(aa) 13 mm and 18 mm in the case of peeled asparagus; and
(bb) 15 mm and 20 mm in the case of unpeeled asparagus.

(iv) "Extra large (Mammoth)" asparagus shall have a diameter of more
than -
(aa) 18 mm in the case of peeled asparagus; and
(bb) 20 mm in the case of unpeeled asparagus.
Quality standards
(5) The quality standards for canned asparagus are as follows (see Table on page 15 of the Regulations):
Permissible deviations
(6) The maximum permissible deviations by number per container of canned asparagus are as follows (see Table on page 17 of the Regulations): 

Reference of the measure

Regulation 17 (2) - (6) 

Measure also domestic

Yes 

Products affected by the measure.

Description

Canned Asparagus 

Countries/Regions affected by the measure.

Description

All countries