EXPORT OF TOMATOES BY AIR [ S.L.85.07 1
SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 85.07
EXPORT OF TOMATOES BY AIR RULES 
23rd March, 1967
LEGAL NOTICE 24 of 1967.
Title.
Rules.
Interpretation. 
"Board" means the Board of Reference constituted under rule 11
of these Rules;
"Department" means the Department of Agriculture;
"Minister" means the Minister responsible for Agriculture;
Cap. 85.
(2) Words not otherwise defined in these Rules shall have the
same meaning as is assigned to them in the Ordinance.
Notice to Director.
country specified in the First Schedule to these Rules shall, not
later than twenty-four hours before the proposed time of export,
give to the Director a written notice in the form set out in the
Second Schedule:
Provided that -
( a ) the Director may, at his discretion, accept such shorter
notice as he may deem reasonable, and 
(b) the exporter may present for inspection and eventual
exportation a smaller quantity than that shown in the
notice.
Tomatoes to be 
presented for 
inspection. 
4. Tomatoes in respect of which notice has been given in
accordance with the provisions of rule 3 shall be presented for
inspection by an inspector at such place and time as the Director
may specify.
Containers and 
labels.
5. Tomatoes presented for inspection shall be packed in
containers of a design previously approved by the Director and
bearing an appropriate label in accordance with the Third Schedule.
Condition of 
produce.
6. (1) Tomatoes presented for inspection prior to export shall
conform, both as regards grade and as regards size, to the
provisions contained in the Third Schedule. 
(2) Any tomatoes so presented shall be in such a state of
maturity that they can reasonably be expected to ripen within
seventy-two hours of arrival at the country of destination.
Uniformity of 
containers.
7. Tomatoes packed in any one container shall consist of one
only of the grades shown in the Third Schedule and shall be
uniform as to ripeness and colour.
2 [ S.L.85.07 EXPORT OF TOMATOES BY AIR
Marking of 
containers.
8. There shall be printed on each container of tomatoes, in
clear  and  legible letters, the words "PRODUCE OF MALTA" and
the name of the exporter.
Approval of 
consignment.
9. When an inspector  i s satisfied that a consignment of
tomatoes conforms in all respects to the provisions of these Rules
he shall mark each container thereof with the words "PASSED FOR
EXPORT" and shall provide the exporter with a certificate in the
form set out in the Fourth Schedule.
Consignment not 
passed for export.
10. If an inspector is not satisfied that a consignment of
tomatoes, or any part thereof, conforms in all respects to these
Rules, he shall not place any mark on any of the containers not
approved by him but shall provide the exporter with a notice in the
form set out in the Fifth Schedule, and the exporter shall, if the
inspection was carried out on premises occupied by the
Government, remove forthwith any such containers therefrom
unless he gives the inspector notice of reference to the Board.
Board of 
Reference.
11. (1) The Board of Reference, referred to in article 18 of the
Ordinance, shall be composed of the Director, or an officer of the
Department acting on behalf of the Director, as Chairman and two
other members selected from a panel of ten persons engaged in 'the
agricultural produce export trade.
(2) Such panel shall be appointed yearly by the Minister.
(3) The two members of the Board, other than the Chairman,
shall be selected one by the Chairman and one by the complainant.
(4) No panel member shall sit on the Board in connection with
any tomatoes in respect of which he shall have any direct or
indirect interest.
Fees for 
inspection.
12. There shall be charged in respect of an inspection of any
tomatoes intended for export a fee of fifty cents per ton or part
thereof.
Fee for reference to 
Board.
13. Any exporter who wants to refer to the Board a decision
given by an inspector shall deposit with the inspector a fee at the
rate of five cents per package of tomatoes, which deposit shall in no
case be less than three liri.
EXPORT OF TOMATOES BY AIR [ S.L.85.07 3
FIRST SCHEDULE
(Rule 3)
Countries of destination to which these Rules apply
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
SECOND SCHEDULE
(Rule 3)
Form of notice of the intention to export tomatoes by air
Name of exporter ........................................................................
Place of business ........................................................................
Place where tomatoes were grown .............................................. 
No. of containers to be exported .................................................
Net Weight in Lbs/Kgs ............................................................... 
Distinguishing Marks (if any) .....................................................
Signature of exporter ...................................
Date and time ..............................................
For Office Use Only
Inspected and graded by (name) ................................................
at (place of inspection)................................................ on (date and
time)................................. and passed for export.
Number of Containers 
.............................
INSPECTOR
Anticipated time of arrival at 
Airport
hour day month  year
Scheduled time of departure 
of aircraft
Extra Class Class I “Round” only
B C D E F B C D E F
4 [ S.L.85.07 EXPORT OF TOMATOES BY AIR
THIRD SCHEDULE
(Rules 5, 6 and 7)
Grades of Tomatoes for Export
A.  EXTRA CLASS
This class is designed for tomatoes of the highest quality.
Characteristic Requirement
Development and
Maturity
Must be sound and firm. Must be mature
and the state of ripeness must be such as to
allow the tomatoes to remain in good
condition during the normal period of
distribution.
Colour Colour must be uniform over the whole
surface, or such that the tomato is likely to
ripen to a uniform colour.
Shape Shape must be round and smooth in
outline. The locular divisions must be
shallow and must not be obvious beyond
one-third of the distance between the calyx
and the blossom end.
Cleanliness Must be clean and free from
contamination. 
Progressive
Defects
Must be free from any blemish or injury
which might affect keeping quality.
Non-Progressive
Damage and
Blemish 
Small insignificant blemishes not
affecting keeping quality are allowed
provided that they do not detract from the
overall appearance of the individual
tomatoes or of the contents of a container.
Sizing Tomatoes within a container must fall
within one of the following size ranges as
measured by the maximum transverse
diameter of the fruits:
B. 6.7cm and above but less than
7.7cm 
C. 5.7cm and above but less than
6.7cm 
D.  4.7cm and above but less than
5.7cm
E. 4cm and above but less than
4.7cm 
F. 3.5cm and above but less than
4cm 
EXPORT OF TOMATOES BY AIR [ S.L.85.07 5
B.  CLASS I
This class is designed for good quality tomatoes reasonably
free from blemish.
Characteristic Requirement
Development and
Maturity
Must be sound and firm. Must be mature
and the state of ripeness must be such as to
allow the tomatoes to remain in good
condition during the normal period of
distribution.
Colour Slight colour defects are allowed, but
only a trace may be present of colour
defects detrimental to the flesh beneath.
Shape Tomatoes must be reasonably round and
regular in shape.
Cleanliness A trace of soiling is allowed provided
that it does not detract from the overall
appearance of the individual tomatoes or of
the contents of a container. The tomatoes
must be free from contamination.
Progressive
Defects
Must be free from any blemish or injury
which might affect keeping quality.
Non-Progressive
Damage and
Blemish 
Minor blemishes and minor damage not
affecting keeping quality are allowed
provided that they do not significantly
detract from the overall appearance of the
individual tomatoes or of the contents of a
container.
Sizing Tomatoes within a container must either
fall within two consecutive groups of the
following size ranges, according to their
maximum transverse diameter, or else be
packed to one of the size ranges:
B. 6.7cm and above but less than
7.7cm 
C. 5.7cm and above but less than
6.7cm 
D.  4.7cm and above but less than
5.7cm
E. 4cm and above but less than
4.7cm 
F. 3.5cm and above but less than
4cm 
6 [ S.L.85.07 EXPORT OF TOMATOES BY AIR
C. LABELS
1. The class claimed must be inserted on a label in a "box"
measuring not less than 3.5cm in length and 2.5cm in height. A
blank space measuring not less than 4cm in length and 2.5cm in
height must be provided adjacent to and to the right of the class
designation "box" followed by a box for the size range of the
contents.
2. The size range packed must be marked on the label in the
appropriate box either in millimetres showing the minimum and
maximum for the range (the lower figure to be stated first) or by the
appropriate code letter. ( Vide  Sample Labels).
3. Every letter, word or numeral appearing on the label shall:
(i) be clearly legible;
(ii) be printed in a dark colour upon a light coloured
ground, or in a light colour upon a dark coloured
ground;
(iii) be not less than 0.7cm in height when relating to
the class and not less than 0.3cm in height for
other particulars.
Sample Labels
(not to measure)
TOMATOES
EXTRA B
TOMATOES
EXTRA 6.7cm 
to 
7.7cm
TOMATOES
1
Round
F.
TOMATOES
1
Round
3.5cm 
to 
4.0cm
EXPORT OF TOMATOES BY AIR [ S.L.85.07 7
FOURTH SCHEDULE
(Rule 9)
Certificate of Inspection of Tomatoes
(Given under Rule 9)
A consignment of ............................... containers of tomatoes
presented for export by ...................................on .........................
aircraft, Flight No. ..................... on ....................................... has
been inspected at ........................................... on ..........................
by the undersigned, duly appointed inspector, and passed as fit for
export and properly graded as provided in the Rules. A mark
"Passed for Export" has been placed on each container.
..............................
INSPECTOR
FIFTH SCHEDULE
(Rule 10) 
Notice required under Rule 10
I, ............................................................., a duly authorised
inspector, having-examined the consignment of tomatoes presented
by you on ........................ and consisting of ..............................
containers do not consider that this (1) consignment/(2)
........................... containers thereof conforms/conform to the
Rules for the following reasons .......... . ...........................................
.......................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................
Your attention is drawn to the fact that in terms of article 18 of
the Agricultural Produce (Export) Ordinance and rule 11, you are
entitled to have this decision reviewed by a Board of Reference in
accordance with the procedure therein.
If you do not wish to have this decision reviewed you are hereby
requested forthwith to remove the said consignment or part thereof,
as the case may be, in accordance with rule 10.
DATE .............................. 
.................................
INSPECTOR
NAME AND ADDRESS OF EXPORTER   .......................................
.......................................
.......................................
