CLASSIFICATION

·       THE WATERMELONS ARE CLASSIFIED IN TWO CLASSES, AS DEFINED BELOW:

·       CLASS I

o   WATERMELONS IN THIS CLASS MUST BE OF GOOD QUALITY. THEY MUST BE CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VARIETY.

o   THE STEM OF THE WATERMELONS MUST NOT EXCEED 5 CM IN LENGTH.

o   THE FOLLOWING SLIGHT DEFECTS, HOWEVER, MAY BE ALLOWED, PROVIDED THESE DO NOT AFFECT THE GENERAL APPEARANCE OF THE PRODUCE, THE QUALITY, THE KEEPING QUALITY AND PRESENTATION IN THE PACKAGE:

§  A SLIGHT DEFECT IN SHAPE;

§  A SLIGHT DEFECTS IN COLOURING OF THE RIND; A PALE COLOURING OF THE WATERMELON WHICH HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE GROUND DURING THE

o   PERIOD OF GROWTH IS NOT REGARDED AS A DEFECT;

§  SLIGHT HEALED SUPERFICIAL CRACKS;

§  SLIGHT SKIN DEFECTS DUE TO RUBBING OR HANDLING, OF WHICH THE TOTAL AREA AFFECTED MUST NOT EXCEED ONE SIXTEENTH OF THE SURFACE OF THE FRUIT.

·       CLASS II

o   THIS CLASS INCLUDES WATERMELONS THAT DO NOT QUALIFY FOR INCLUSION IN CLASS I, BUT
SATISFY THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS SPECIFIED ABOVE.

o   WATERMELONS IN THIS CLASS MUST BE OF REASONABLE QUALITY, AND ARE SUITABLE FOR
HUMAN CONSUMPTION.

o   THE FOLLOWING DEFECTS MAY BE ALLOWED PROVIDED THE WATERMELONS RETAIN
THEIR ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS AS REGARDS THE QUALITY, THE KEEPING QUALITY AND
PRESENTATION:

·       DEFECTS IN SHAPE;

§  SERIOUS DEFECTS IN SHAPE OF THE FRUIT MAY INDICATE IMMATURITY OF THE FLESH. IT IS RECOMMENDED TO CUT THE FRUIT DURING THE CONFORMITY CHECK.

·       DEFECTS IN COLOURING OF THE RIND; A PALE COLOURING OF THE WATERMELON WHICH HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE GROUND DURING THE PERIOD OF GROWTH IS NOT REGARDED AS A DEFECT;

·       HEALED SUPERFICIAL CRACKS;

·       SKIN DEFECTS DUE TO RUBBING OR HANDLING OR TO DAMAGE BY PESTS OR DISEASES, OF WHICH THE TOTAL AREA AFFECTED MUST NOT EXCEED ONE EIGHTH OF THE SURFACE OF THE FRUIT;

·       SLIGHT BRUISING.

·       NAME OF ILLUSTRATION WATERMELONS 

o   STEM LENGTH

o   DEFECT IN SHAPE

o   DEFECT IN THE COLOURING OF THE RIND

o   PALE COLOURING OF THE RIND

o   SUPERFICIAL CRACKS

o   SKIN DEFECTS