Section 3
SEC. 3. (a) Six months prior to the date on which this Act goes into effect, the Director of Agriculture shall organize in the ports of export the offices in which the grading of abaca, maguey, sisal, and other fibers shall be practiced. He shall likewise organize identical offices at the request of a party concerned at any point in the Archipelago. (b) No person, association, or corporation shall engage in grading abaca, maguey, or sisal, unless a permit shall have previously been obtained, which shall be signed by the Director of Agriculture, such permits to be known as "grading permits." (c) There shall be six classes of grading establishments which shall be classified (according to the quality of loose fiber they grade and bale per annum) as follows: First-class establishments, handling five thousand metric tons and above; second-class establishments, handling between two thousand five hundred and five thousand metric tons; third-class establishments, handling between two thousand and two thousand five hundred metric tons; fourth-class establishments, handling between one thousand and two thousand metric tons; fifth-class establishments, handling between five hundred and one thousand metric tons; and sixth-class establishments, handling less than five hundred metric tons. (d) Grading permits shall be furnished to any grading permits, establishment the owner or owners of which shall prove to the Director of Agriculture that they possess the necessary qualifications to carry on the work, and on payment in advance of an annual fee of one thousand pesos for first-class, five hundred pesos for second class, two hundred and fifty pesos for third class, one hundred pesos for fourth class, fifty pesos for fifth class, and twenty-five pesos for sixth class establishments. The classification of grading establishments shall be based on the quantity of fiber graded and baled during the year previous to the one for which a grading permit is desired. In the case of a new establishment, the classification shall be made at the end of the first year and it shall pay the fee corresponding to such year. (e) In grading fiber for export, each grade prepared to shall correspond to one of the official standards, and it shall standards also bear the same designation and mark as the latter. The set of official standards shall be placed in a prominent position in the grading shed for reference.