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Grade A, B and C vegetables: what the grades mean for buyers

A grade is only useful if both sides read it the same way. This is how Nusatani defines Grade A, B and C, which buyers each grade is for, and what to put in writing before the first delivery.

Published 18 August 20266 min readNusatani, Kelantan

Why a grade matters more than “fresh”

Every supplier says fresh. What a kitchen or a factory actually plans around is consistency: the same size, the same colour and the same level of defects from one delivery to the next. A grade is the written form of that promise. Without it, “fresh produce” means whatever happened to be available that morning.

In Malaysia, the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) enforces rules on the grading, packaging and labelling of agricultural produce. Nusatani’s Grade A, B and C sit on top of that: a commercial standard agreed with each buyer and written for the way the produce will actually be used.

Grade A: for the plate

Uniform size and colour, full maturity, straight form, no blemish or bruising. Hotel and restaurant kitchens, caterers, supermarkets and export programmes buy Grade A because the vegetable is seen by the guest or the shopper before it is eaten.

At Nusatani, Grade A runs on the Premium line. It is packed to the buyer’s carton or crate specification, with the grade, the harvest date and the plot code marked on every box.

Grade B: same freshness, different looks

Grade B allows minor curvature, some size variation or surface marks. The freshness, the handling and the cold chain are identical to Grade A; the difference is cosmetic, not condition.

It suits wet-market wholesale, distributors and kitchen prep, where the vegetable is cut before anyone sees it. It is priced at market.

Grade C: for processing

Grade C is off-size or cosmetically defective produce with sound flesh throughout. It is not waste and it is not damaged stock: produce with rot does not travel in any grade.

Processors of paste, sauce, pickles and dried products buy Grade C because the shape no longer matters once the product is cut, cooked or blended. It is priced below market.

Grade A
Grade B
Grade C
Typical buyer
Hotels, restaurants, retail, export
Wholesale, distributors, kitchen prep
Food processors
Size and form
Within the stated range, uniform
Some variation
Off-size accepted
Appearance
No blemish, full colour
Minor surface marks
Cosmetic defects accepted
Condition
Sound, firm, full maturity
Sound and firm
Sound flesh, no rot
Price position
Above market
At market
Below market

How grading works on the farm

Grading happens twice. In the field, obvious off-grade produce is taken out before it reaches the packhouse. At the packhouse, every lot is sorted against criteria written down before the season and against a photo reference board for each grade.

One accountable person signs off each consignment. The grade is marked on the carton, so the receiving cook or the goods-in clerk can check it against the delivery note on the spot.

What to put in your supply contract

A grade written into a contract should answer five questions: the grade and the size band for each crop; the defect tolerance per box; the packing format and the label; how and by when a rejected box is reported and settled; and how a mixed load is priced.

Nusatani quotes a mixed load per grade, never averaged, so you can see what you pay for each one. Ask for the written criteria and the reference photographs before the first delivery, not after the first dispute.

Questions buyers ask

Is Grade C produce safe to eat?+

Yes. Grade C is sound produce that misses the size or appearance criteria. It is harvested, handled and transported exactly like Grade A and B.

Can one delivery contain more than one grade?+

Yes. Many kitchens take Grade A for the plate and Grade B for prep. Each grade is packed, labelled and quoted separately, on one delivery and one invoice.

Is Nusatani’s grading the same as FAMA grading?+

No, they are two different things. FAMA’s rules govern grading, packaging and labelling in the market. Nusatani’s A, B and C are a commercial standard agreed per contract. Ask us how the two relate for your crop.

Related produce

Cucumber Nusatani Premium · Grade A → Nusatani Daily · Grade B · C →
Eggplant Nusatani Premium · Grade A → Nusatani Daily · Grade B · C →
Large Red Chilli Nusatani Premium · Grade A → Nusatani Daily · Grade B · C →

More from the farm

Crop guide

Chilli from Kelantan: cili merah, cili padi, cili hijau and lada solok compared

Cili merah, cili padi, cili burung, cili hijau and lada solok: heat, size, uses and how to specify each type when you buy chilli in volume in Malaysia.

 Supply planning

Vegetable supply in the monsoon: how to plan for November to February

The north-east monsoon reaches Kelantan from November to February. What it does to fresh vegetable supply, and how buyers and growers plan contracts around it.

 Certification

MyGAP certification: what it covers and how buyers can verify it

What MyGAP certification is, who issues it, what a farm audit covers and how a buyer checks a certificate. With the lines Nusatani has certified today.

Two lines, one supplier

Grade A for hotel and restaurant kitchens on Nusatani Premium. Contract volumes of Grade B and C on Nusatani Daily. Or simply ask on WhatsApp.

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