According to the grading system promulgated under the Agricultural Product Standard Act, 1990 (Act No. 119 of 1990), there are four classes of potatoes:
- Class 1.
- Class 2.
- Class 3.
- Lowest class.
Potatoes should be stored in containers that are intact, clean, suitable and strong enough for the packing and normal handling of potatoes; do not impart a taste or odour to the potatoes; free from any visible signs of fungal growth; and in case of a carrier container, be strong enough not to bulge out or dent in during normal handling and transporting practices.
Containers should be clearly marked with the name or trademark of the potato, the class as well as the size of the potatoes (e.g., “baby”, “small”, “M”, “L”, and so on). other information that should appear on the labels are the mass, the word “potatoes”, the cultivar, the package date, the country of origin, and whether the potatoes are to be sold unwashed or not.
All potatoes are subjected to sampling by an inspector. There are fines, even imprisonment in terms of section 11 of the act, in the case the final sampling fails to comply with all the rules and regulations set out.