SUMMERFRUIT NZ GRADE STANDARDS
Apricots
Product Requirements
Shape
Slight defect in shape allowable providing appearance of fruit is characteristic
of variety.
Maturity
Line must be of even maturity.
Fruit must be able to withstand transportation (must be firm).
Fruit must have lost its dominant green background appearance (yellow
background must be showing through).
Sizing
Minimum allowable size permitted is 47 mm.
Apricots will be sized accordingly: 47 - 49 mm, 50 - 54 mm, 55 - 59 mm,
60 mm and above.
Tolerance
10% tolerance level for cosmetic defects. 10 % tolerance level for size
Defect Allowances
Blemish
Export/Class 1
- Maximum 0.5 cm2 and 1 cm in
length (skin not broken).
- Suture line marking up to 1cm
in length contained within the
stem end cavity
Bruise
- Light finger marking - maximum 1 cm2 (deep bruising not allowed).
Cracks, Cuts &
Punctures
Bacterial Marking
- Superficial healed cracks aggregated up to 1 cm in length.
- Up to 30% of line, with up to
30% red speckle on each fruit.
Pacific/Class 2
- Maximum of 2 cm2 or 4 cm in
length (skin not broken).
- Suture line marking is
allowable.
- Up to 50% red speckle on each
fruit.
- Clearly visible black centred halo marks are not acceptable
Pulled Stems
- Allowable in stem end cavity providing flesh is not damaged.
Hail Marks
- Skin must not be broken.
- Hail marks must be superficial and not exceed 3 mm in diameter.
- Aggregate area on each fruit must not exceed 6 mm in diameter.
Harvest Damage
- Up to two dry punctures maximum size 2 mm2
- Maximum depth 1.5 mm
Surface Deposits
- Conspicuous spray deposit not permissible.
- Light residue (left as a watermark is allowable - not for Europe).
General
Instructions
- Overall the line must look consistent and clean.
- Cosmetic measures are not a measure of quality.
-
Individual exporters may have
their own grade standards
which must be no less than
Class 1.
- Individual exporters may have
their own grade standards.
Class 2 to the Pacific only.
Cherries
Product Requirements
Shape
Slight defect in shape allowable providing appearance of fruit is characteristic
of variety.
Colour
Must be typical of the variety when mature with no wide variation.
Maturity
Fruit must be firm.
Line must be of even maturity.
Fruit must be able to withstand transportation.
Brix level below 16 will be considered out of grade.
Brix
Fruit with Brix levels below 160 cannot be exported
Sizing
Minimum allowable size is 24mm
Tolerance
10% tolerance level for cosmetic defects. 10 % tolerance level for size
Defect Allowances
Blemish
Export/Class 1
Pacific/Class 2
Nil
Light staining of up to 10% on light skinned varieties allowable,
e.g. Rainier
Bruise
-
Nil
Cracks, Cuts &
Punctures
-
Shallow, Dry, Healed <5mm
- Shallow, Dry, Healed <5mm
- Ring or stem crack up to
10mm
Bacterial/Deficiency Marking
Small superficial indentations, which cannot be seen at arms
length, are acceptable.
Russet
-
Superficial marks aggregated
up to 2 mm2 and 5 mm in
length.
Pulled Stems &
Stemless
-
Stems must be intact (fully) and of a fresh green appearance.
Flesh and/or skin must not be damaged.
Stems lost post packing allowable (advise exporter).
Hail Marks
Harvest Damage
Surface Deposits
General
Instructions
Nil
Nil
Nil
- Overall the line must look consistent and clean.
- Exporters may request that fruit is of a minimum firmness.
- Cosmetic measures are not a measure of quality.
-
Individual exporters may
have their own grade
standards which must be no
less than Class 1.
- Superficial marks aggregated
up to 5 mm2 and 5 mm in
length.
- Individual exporters may
have their own grade
standards. Class 2 to the
Pacific only.
- See below for specific grade standards for Stella
Stella Grade Standards
Grade standards for Stella/Compact Stella have been introduced. These standards are in
addition to the general cherry grade standards and are as follows:
 Fruit must be a minimum of 18 Brix
 Fruit must be a minimum size of 28mm for export
 26mm fruit may be exported if when tested with a Firmtec Fruit Tester, the average fruit
firmness is no less than 330g/mm and the sample has no more than 10 cherries below
250g/mm.
 A certificate confirming the test result must be submitted to packhouses and exporters
for sign off prior to packing
Firmtec machines will be available for growers and packers at the following locations
 45 South Packhouse, Cromwell, Ph 03 445 1402
Contact Person – Athol Dempsey

Summerfruit Orchards Packhouse, Earnscleugh, Ph 0 449 2203
Contact Person – Rhonda Hart
 Darlings Fruit Packers, Ettrick, Ph 03 446 6703
Contact Person – Stephen Darling 0275 899 335
Sample Requirements
 Sample Size – 100 cherries
 If multiple picks are undertaken, then each pick should be sampled and tested
 The sample should be taken from 10 buckets i.e. 10 fruit from each bucket
The cost to test each sample will be $25 +GST. 45 South, Summerfruit and Darlings Fruit
Packers will invoice the growers individually for the tests.
Nectarine & Peach
Product Requirements
Shape
Slight defect in shape allowable providing appearance of fruit is characteristic
of variety.
Colour
(Where colour is applicable to the variety).
Export/Class 1: Nectarines - minimum of 30% of the fruit surface. Note:
50% of fruit in a tray should have 50% red colour.
Peaches - minimum of 20% of the fruit surface.
Pacific/Class 2:
Nectarines - minimum of 15% of the fruit surface.
Peaches - minimum of 10% of the fruit surface.
Maturity
Line must be of even maturity.
Fruit must be able to withstand transportation.
Fruit must have lost its dominant green background appearance.
Sizing
Minimum size must be 55 mm
Recommended sizes for spills: Check with your Exporter
Tolerance
10% tolerance level for cosmetic defects. 10 % tolerance level for size
Defect Allowances
Blemish
Export/Class 1
- Maximum of 1 cm2
Bruising
- Light finger marking - maximum 1 cm2 (deep bruising not allowed).
Cracks, Cuts &
Punctures
Bacterial Marking
- Superficial healed cracks aggregated up to 1 cm in length allowable.
- Up to 30% of line, with up to
10% red speckle on each fruit
Pacific/Class 2
- Maximum of 2 cm2
- Maximum 4 cm in length.
- Up to 50% red speckle on each
fruit.
- Clearly visible dark speckled marks are not acceptable.
Russet (Block)
-
Solid smooth russet up to 2 cm2 is permitted.
Elongated russet must not exceed 3 cm in length.
Pulled Stems
- Up to 20% of fruit surface on
- Up to 30% of fruit surface on
less than 10% of the fruit in
less than 20% of the fruit in tray.
tray.
- Allowable in stem end cavity providing flesh is not damaged.
Split Stone
- A hair line crack barely extending to the stone is acceptable.
Hail Marks
- Skin must not be broken.
- Hail marks must be superficial and not exceed 3 mm in diameter.
- Aggregate area on each fruit must not exceed 6 mm in diameter.
Harvest Damage
- Up to three dry punctures allowable (max 2 mm2 & 2 mm deep).
Surface Deposits
- Conspicuous spray deposit not permissible.
- Light residue (left as a water marking) is allowable except for
Europe.
Russet (Tracery)
Plum
(includes greengage, pluot and plumcot)
Product Requirements
Shape
Slight defect in shape allowable providing appearance of fruit is characteristic
of variety.
Colour
Must be even and typical of variety.
Maturity
Line must be of even maturity.
Sizing
Minimum allowable size is 45mm
Minimum allowable size for greengage is 30mm
Tolerance
10% tolerance level for cosmetic defects. 10 % tolerance level for size
Defect Allowances
Blemish
Export/Class 1
- Maximum of 1 cm2
- Maximum of 1 cm in length.
- Maximum of 1.5 cm2
cumulative total with russet
Pacific/Class 2
- Maximum of 2 cm2
- Maximum of 4 cm in length.
- Light staining of up to 10% on light skinned varieties allowable.
Bruising
- Light finger marking up to 1 cm2 allowable.
- (Deep bruising not allowable).
Cracks, Cuts &
Punctures
- Superficial healed cracks up to 1 cm in length are permitted.
- Aggregate area on each plum must not exceed 1 cm2
Russet
- Maximum aggregate area
1 cm2
- Maximum 1.5 cm2 Cumulative
total with blemish.
-
Maximum aggregate are of
2 cm2
Pulled Stems
- Allowable in stem end cavity providing flesh is not damaged.
Hail Marks
- Skin must not be broken.
- Hail marks must be superficial and not exceed 3 mm in diameter.
- Aggregate area on each plum must not exceed 6mm in diameter.
Harvest Damage
- Nil
Surface Deposits
- Conspicuous spray deposit not permissible.
- Light residue (left as a water marking) is allowable but not for
Europe.
General
Instructions
-
Overall the line must look consistent, clean and presentable.
Prohibited varieties
The following varieties must not be exported:
Cherries:
Burlatt, Earlise. Merton Premier may only be exported to South Pacific
Islands (excluding Australia and Hawaii) - fruit must be firm and meet
Summerfruit NZ grade standards.
Apricots:
Earliril, Kerr’s Seedling, Roxburgh Red, Skaha, Stevens Favorite,
Travatt.
Nectarines:
Flavour Top, Royal Giant, Stark’s Delicious, Sunglo.
Peaches:
Cresthaven, Glohaven, Redhaven.