In the sector of the vegetable auctions a process is under way whereby most will merge into one big auction. The next largest has 11 per cent, but is itself only a quarter as large as the top two auctions. With a share of 45 per cent of the trade, Aalsmeer has a total membership of 4,500 growers, with a wide regional coverage. The Dutch members are organized in 13 sections and German and Belgian in two more. One section is available to growers from other foreign countries.
Meetings take place at the section level.
This has to do with the kind of products handled, with the Flora auction concentrating on flower bulbs and flowers grown in open air, mainly on the dunes, the Holland auction on vegetables, and Aalsmeer on flowers. The last, almost from its start was very much an auction with an international perspective, facilitated partly by the proximity of the Schiphol international airport, although this was in no way the only contributory factor as most shipments to neighbouring countries go by road. The international perspective made Aalsmeer attractive to affiliate with for growers from all parts of the Netherlands. The system prevents collusion by big buyers, collusion being also precluded by the inherent perishability of the product, the near impossibility of withholding the product from the market contributing to the daily supremacy of the auction. For the services provided, the Dutch members contribute 4.5 per cent of their turnover, while overseas sellers additionally pay a premium of 1-3 per cent, depending on the frequency, stability and quality of their products.