The National Quality Institute (Inacal) approved a technical standard that establishes the minimum quality requirements that Peruvian table grapes must meet to be marketed, in order to increase their exportable supply.
The grape is one of the most demanded Peruvian agricultural products in international markets. In 2020, at the height of the pandemic, this important fruit achieved a record export of 1.046 billion dollars. Its main markets were the United States, China, the European Union, Mexico, Canada, Spain, and England, according to official data from the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation (Midagri).
Requirements
The Peruvian Technical Standard NTP 011.012: 2021 Table grape is applicable to commercial varieties of clusters of table grapes obtained from the Vitis vinifera L species, belonging to the Vitaceae family, which must be supplied fresh to the consumer, after packaging. The grapes destined for industrial processing are excluded.
The bunches and each individual grape must be healthy, clean, practically free of any visible foreign matter, pests, rot, or deterioration that affect the general appearance of the product.
They must not present any strange tastes, smells, or abnormal external humidity, except for the condensation resulting from their removal from a cold room. The grapes must be well-formed and developed with a satisfactory degree of maturity according to the variety.
It also establishes the classification of table grapes into Extra Category (table grapes in this category must be of superior quality and characteristic of the variety), Category I (grapes in this category must be of good quality), and Category II ( includes grapes that cannot be classified in the higher categories but satisfy the minimum quality requirements).
The bunches of grapes must be packaged in such a way that the product is properly protected. In addition, the materials used inside the container must be of first use, clean, and of quality to avoid any external or internal damage to the product.
The use of impressions on packaging materials is also allowed, as long as they do not contain toxic substances. The standard indicates that the bunches must be arranged in containers that conform to the Recommended International Code of Practice for the Packaging and Transport of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables.
The Inacal, through the Directorate of Standardization, promotes the use of this standard prepared by the Technical Committee for Standardization of Agroindustrial Export Products-Technical Subcommittee for Standardization of Table Grapes. You can read the standard online at the Virtual Reading Room platform of the Inacal website.
Source: andina.pe