Nova Scotia Apples - Apple Grades
Nova Scotia ApplesSite MapSearchHome
Nova Scotia Apples
All About N.S. Apples - Consumers - Nova Scotia apple information, varities, locations and more!Apples and Your Health - Information on why apples are good for you!Recipe Box - Salads, Main Dishes, Desserts and More...Kids and Teachers - Apple Resource Kits, Apple Farms and Apple Farm Kids.Fruit Growing - Production - Information about growing apples in N.S.Marketing Information - Information for retailers about N.S. apples and apple products.Our Organization - About Us - Information about our Association.What's New and More - General Information, Contact, Photos and More.

 

Market Information
About Apple Varieties | Apple and Pear Variety Chart | Point-of-Sale Materials | Storage and Display | Handling Apples | Merchandising | Apple Grades | Frequently Asked Questions | Retailer Information at a Glance | Packers and Shippers | Apple Processors

Apple

Apple Grades

Making Good Grades

Apples retailed in Canada are subject to Federal and/or Provincial Grade Standards. Apples that are exported from one province to another province or country fall under the mandate of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and are inspected by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).  In 1987 the Nova Scotia Fruit Growers' Association, with the support of the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture and Marketing, hired an inspector to perform random inspections at apple packinghouses. The purpose of the inspection program was to ensure that apples sold within Nova Scotia met the declared grades. This demonstrates the commitment that Nova Scotia apple growers and packers have to providing quality Nova Scotian apples. Nova Scotia apple packers have consistently met the grade, over and over again.

In an effort to ensure that the quality of Nova Scotian apples remains high, a number of changes have occurred at storage facilities and packinghouses in Nova Scotia. More apples than ever before are being stored in controlled atmosphere storage; more packers are using water flotation to remove apples from the bins on their packing lines; some packers have switched to plastic master cartons, which means that apples on the lower layers of a pallet do not bear the weight of the rest of the pallet; and bubble packing is used by most packers in the master cartons as further insurance against bruising. These steps ensure year-round availability of crisp, crunchy Nova Scotia apples.

Nova Scotia's apple growers and packers get an 'A' for effort. Make sure you get good grades by selling graded apples, packed by a reputable packer whose quality you are familiar and happy with. Don't go out on a limb and leave your customers hanging. Offer consistently good quality apples week after week and keep sales up.