25 - 29 September 2006

CODEX - Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (13th Session), Mexico City , Mexico

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

The 13th session of the Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables reached the following conclusions:

MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION

The Committee agreed to:

• forward the draft Codex Standard for Table Grapes (at Step 8) including its proposed draft Sections 2.1.2 - Maturity Requirements and 3.1 - Minimum Bunch Weight (at Step 5/8) to the 30th Session of the Commission for final adoption at Step 8 and 5/8 (with omission of Steps 6/7) respectively (para. 60 and Appendices IV and V correspondingly).
• forward the proposed draft Codex Standard for Bitter Cassava and the proposed draft Codex Guidelines for the Inspection and Certification of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables for Conformity to Quality Standards to the 30th Session of the Commission for preliminary adoption at Step 5 (paras. 82 & 92 and Appendices VI & VII respectively).

MATTERS OF INTEREST TO THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION

The Committee agreed to:

• retain the draft Codex Standard for Tomatoes at Step 7 pending finalization of the draft Section 3 - Provisions concerning Sizing which was returned to Step 6 for additional comments and consideration at its next session (paras. 42 - 43 and Appendices II & III respectively).
• return the proposed draft Codex Standard for Apples to Step 2 for redrafting by a Working Group led by the United States of America. The revised text will be subsequently circulated for comments at Step 3 and consideration at its next session (para. 70).
• append the proposed Layout for Codex Standards on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables to the report for comments and consideration at its next session (para. 19 and Appendix VIII).
• left unchanged the Priority List for the Standardization of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables while continuing to request comments on proposals for amendments to the Priority List for consideration at its next session (para. 103 and Appendix IX).
• set up the following timeframes for completion of work of the standards and related texts under consideration in the Step Procedure in accordance with the recommendation of the Commission:
• draft Codex Standard for Tomatoes including draft Section 3 - Provisions concerning sizing: Finalization by the 31st Session of the Commission (2008) (para. 44).
• proposed draft Codex Standard for Apples: Finalization by the 33rd Session of the Commission (2010) (para. 72).
• Proposed draft Codex Standard for Bitter Cassava: Finalization by the 31st Session of the Commission (2008) (para. 82).
• proposed draft Codex Guidelines for the Inspection and Certification of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables for Conformity to Quality Standards: Finalization by the 33rd Session of the Commission (2010) (para. 94).