286 



12 The purpose of 

 the system 



The definition of auctioning is: 

 To sell - in public 



- in free competition 



- under identical condi- 

 tions 



- to the person who bids 

 the most 



The purpose of the clock and auction 

 system is to achieve the best possible price 

 for the grower through a direct confrontation 

 between supply and demand, in public The 

 system exists thanks to two groups, who actual- 

 ly have the same interests: to buv and sell fresh 

 fruit and vegetables. Without growers the 

 auction cannot exist, for there would be no 

 produce; without buyers the auction would not 

 function, because there would be no opportuni- 

 ty to sell. But the auction, in which everything 

 centres on the clock, is more than just a balance 

 between supply and demand. If the buyer is to 

 become interested, then he must be offered 

 produce which is reliable, that will keep and 

 that can be offered on the international market 

 In other words: quality produce, which can hold 

 its own and more against international compe- 

 tition. IXitch produce is circumscribed by mea- 

 sures such as quality control bv the auction and 

 the government, conditioning and standardisa- 

 tion. This creates customer confidence. Ensu- 

 ring that the buyer can rely on standardised pro- 

 duce in the best possible condition enables 

 him to Tjuy blind', which for him represents a 

 time-saving factor. In this way he can concen- 

 trate on other matters and does not need to 

 worry about the quality of the produce. The 

 block system, in which products of a particular 

 quality, grade and colour produced by differ- 

 ent growers are combined into one large con- 

 signment, also makes a major contribution 

 towards this. The block system represents an 

 advantage to the grower too. Any grower 

 whose organisation is relatively small-scale is 

 able to offer his produce, via large- scale sales. 



share of the price. 



Through the auction system and the co- 

 operative principle on which it is based, all 

 the specialised family firms combined repres- 

 ent an impressive quantity of produce which 

 is circumscribed by careful treatment and 

 measures. No buyer would be able to collect 

 and monitor all the necessarv quantities of 

 produce from the individual growers; no 

 grower is in a position to export his relativelv 

 small batches of produce to, for instance, the 

 United States. 



L3 The cooperative 

 principle 



\ \ 



Without a cooperative attitude on 

 the part of its affihated growers, it 

 would be impossible to maintain the auction 

 and the system behind it The measures taken 

 in relation to the produce are imposed by the 

 growers themselves. As long as a 'with each 

 other and for each other' situation exists, the 

 system will work. The growers o%vn the auction. 

 The auction belongs to them and works for 

 them. It has members (growers) who jointiv 

 appoint the management The executive, a 

 chairman and a secretary, are responsible for 

 carrying out the members' decisions. A director 

 is appointed for the day-to-day management 

 The auctions are autonomous. In order to 

 standardise sales and national measures, the 

 Central Bureau of Fruit and Vegetable Auctions 

 in the Netherlands (CBT) was formed in 1917. 

 The CBT belongs to the auctions and acts for 

 them, and thus also belongs to and works for 

 the growers. The executive of the CBT, togeth- 

 er with the provincial auction oiganisations 

 (PVOs), act as the auctions' intermediary. In 

 addition, there are committees for almost all 

 Dutch products, which advise the CBT on the 

 (market) measures to be taken. .Auction manag- 

 ers, supported by CBT experts, hold seats on 

 these broadly-based committees. 



