Banana Grading and Packing Code 1983 (WA)

Western Australia

AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS ACT 1929

Banana Grading and Packing Code 1983

This Code was repealed by the Repeal of Grading and Packing Codes Notice 2001 as at 24 Aug 2001 (see Gazette 24 Aug 2001 p. 4575).

Western Australia

Banana Grading and Packing Code 1983 Contents

Western Australia

AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS ACT 1929

AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS ACT 1929

Banana Grading and Packing Code 1983

Made by the Minister for Agriculture.

1.Citation

This Code may be cited as the Banana Grading and Packing Code 1983.

2.Commencement

This Code shall come into operation on 1 October 1983.

3.Application

• (1)

  This Code is, subject to subclauses (2) and (3) of this clause, the relevant code under the Agricultural Products Act 1929 for the grading, marking and packing of bananas for sale.

• (2)

  Clauses 10 and 11 of this Code do not apply to a retail sale.

• (3)

  This Code does not apply where bananas are sold or intended to be sold for the purpose of manufacturing, processing or packing.

4.Interpretation

In this Code, unless the context otherwise requires — 

“blemish” means any superficial disfigurement of the fruit that is unlikely to affect its keeping in a sound condition, and includes scratch marks, rub marks, russeting, healed injuries, healed insect bites or stings and spray burns;

“cluster” means groups of at least 3 bananas attached to one piece of stem;

“girth” in relation to the size of a banana, means the greatest circumference measured at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the fruit;

“hands” means groups of at least 10 bananas attached to one piece of stem;

“length” means the measurement of the outside of the curve of the fruit, from its junction, at the stem end, to its apex;

“singles” means single bananas;

“sound”, in relation to a banana, means not overripe, not soft and free from disease or insect damage or bruising or physical injury affecting the keeping quality of the fruit.

5.Grades and sizes

Bananas shall be packed as “singles” or “hands” and graded according to their size.

6.Standard of singles

Bananas packed as singles shall comprise only bananas — 

• (a)

  that are of one variety, well formed, mature and sound; and

• (b)

  that are reasonably free from blemishes.

7.Sizes of singles

Bananas packed as singles shall be graded according to the following sizes — 

• (a)

  “very small” which shall comprise bananas that have a minimum girth of 100 millimetres and are not less than 125 millimetres but less than 150 millimetres in length;

• (b)

  “small” which shall comprise bananas that have a minimum girth of 100 millimetres and are not less than 150 millimetres but less than 165 millimetres in length;

• (c)

  “medium” which shall comprise bananas that have a minimum girth of 100 millimetres and are not less than 165 millimetres but less than 190 millimetres in length;

• (d)

  “large” which shall comprise bananas that have a minimum girth of 110 millimetres and are not less than 190 millimetres but less than 215 millimetres in length; or

• (e)

  “extra large” which shall comprise bananas that have a minimum girth of 110 millimetres and are 215 millimetres or more in length.

8.Standard of hands

Bananas packed as hands shall comprise only bananas — 

• (a)

  that are of one variety, well formed, mature and sound;

• (b)

  that are reasonably free from blemishes; and

• (c)

  of which 80% by weight shall consist of hands and the remainder shall consist of clusters.

9.Sizes of hands

Bananas packed as hands shall be graded according to the following sizes — 

• (a)

  “medium” which shall comprise bananas that have a minimum girth of 100 millimetres and are not less than 140 millimetres but less than 175 millimetres in length;

• (b)

  “large” which shall comprise bananas that have a minimum girth of 110 millimetres and are not less than 175 millimetres but less than 215 millimetres in length; or

• (c)

  “extra large” which shall comprise bananas that have a minimum girth of 110 millimetres and are 215 millimetres or more in length.

10.Packages for bananas

• (1)

  Bananas shall be packed only in a package that is of a type referred to in the Fruit Packaging Code 1983 formulated under the Agricultural Products Act 1929.

• (2)

  The following types of packages set out in the Fruit Packages Code 1983 are most commonly used for bananas — 

Internal Dimentions (in millimetres)
Type of package	Length	Width	Depth
Banana carton	420	325	220
Plastic returnable crate — 36 litre	470	305	275

11.Packing and marking packages

• (1)

  A package in which bananas are sold shall not contain — 

  • (a)

    fruit of any other kind;

  • (b)

    bananas of any grade other than the grade specified on the package.

• (2)

  The package in which bananas are sold shall bear a label or other marking specifying in relation to the bananas contained therein the following particulars — 

  • (a)

    the word “bananas”;

  • (b)

    the grade of size;

  • (c)

    the name and district of the grower or packer of the fruit.

• (3)

  The size of the characters setting out the particulars required to be marked on any package containing bananas being sold shall be — 

  • (a)

    if printed on a label — not less than 5 millimetres in height;

  • (b)

    if stencilled on the package — not less than 20 millimetres in height.

Notes

1. This is a compilation of the Banana Grading and Packing Code 1983 and includes the amendments referred to in the following Table.

Compilation table

Citation	Gazettal	Commencement
Banana Grading and Packing Code 1983	23 Sep 1983 p. 3862-3	1 Oct 1983 (see r. 2)
This Code was repealed by the Repeal of Grading and Packing Codes Notice 2001 as at 24 Aug 2001 (see Gazette 24 Aug 2001 p. 4575)