Minimum Requirements for Trade

Internal Quality

Pre-treatment

Pre-treatment with STS

• Cut flowers standing in water with STS (STS solution) may not be supplied.
• Pre-treatment is verified by measuring the minimum concentration of STS in the flower bud in accordance with the VBN protocol "Verification of the pre-treatment of cut flowers". In connection with the environmentally harmful characteristics of silver, used STS solutions may not be dumped in surface water. The solution may not be dumped until it has been neutralised with the supplied neutralising agents. The neutralised solution may only be dumped via the sewer system. The sediment (residue) must be brought to government-designated sites (Small Chemical Waste Depot).

Pre-treatment with Chlorine or Aluminium Sulfate

• Cut flowers pre-treated with agents containing the active ingredient chlorine or aluminium sulphate must be supplied standing in water with pre-treatment agent.
• Pre-treatment is verified by taking samples of the supply water or by determining the bacteria count in accordance with the VBN protocol "Verification of the pre-treatment of cut flowers".

Decorative greens

• If decorative greens are supplied in a cut flower container, they have to stand in clean tap water containing a pre-treatment agent. Decorative greens must be given pre-treatment with the active ingredient sodium dichlorisocyanurate (code 11 on the label of the product), 1 tablet per 3 litres of water.
• Monstera leaf must be pretreated and supplied in water with a pretreatment product. Pretreated must be used with the active ingredient sodium dichlorisocyanurate (code 11 on the label of the product), 1 tablet per 3 litres of water.

Berry shrubs

External Quality

• All cut flowers offered for sale must meet at least the requirements set for B1 value after trading and will retain this value for some time.
• All cut flowers must also be of such a quality that it can reasonably be expected that the flowers will still have ornamental value after trading and will retain this value for some time.

Edible Products

The rules given below apply to products that are suitable for consumption at the time of trading.

• Suppliers must be able to demonstrate that the legal requirements have been met and independent sampling has been ensured. The following are compliant:
  • Global Gap, Fruit and Vegetables;
  • A demonstrably comparable system.
• During trading the company’s certification must be visible. 
• During trading it must be clear that the plants are edible.
• ‘Edible plants or plant parts’ are specified with the quality code S77 ‘edible/not edible’. There are the following options:
  • Code 1 Suitable for human consumption
  • Code 2 Edible plant
  • Code 3 Edible fruits
  • Code 4 Edible flowers
  • Code 6 Produces edible fruits
    The supplier can also specify this visibly on the product information, using a stick-in or hanging label, a (printed) sleeve or a (printed) pot etc. 
• Products that are obviously edible (e.g. kitchen herbs) must not be traded as ‘not for human consumption’. These products may only be sold as ‘edible’ and must meet the applicable product requirements. 
• When they are being traded, edible products must comply with the set applicable European MRLs. Please refer to the EU Pesticides database website for the correct information. To find out whether a particular active substance has been authorised for use, please refer to the Board for the Authorisation of Plant Protection Products and Biocides website (College voor de toelating van gewasbeschermingsmiddelen en biociden, toelatingsinstantie voor Nederland, www.ctgb.nl).

        Labelling

• The applicable EU mandatory labelling of the quality of vegetables and fruit applies to the following 8 edible plants:
  • Thyme
  • Basil
  • Melissa
  • Mint
  • Oregano/wild marjoram
  • Rosemary
  • Sage
  • Chive
• Mandatory labelling for food safety applies to other edible flowers/plants if the possibility exists of consumption at the moment of trading (e.g. ripe strawberries on a plant). 
• When intended for use as food and packaged as such (e.g. pot of chives in a sleeve, or set of 6 kitchen herbs), each unit (pot or set) must have a label that complies with the following requirements:
  • The label/the sticker is clearly visible;
  • Stick-in labels must be securely placed and clearly visible;
  • Name of the product is specified;
  • Country of origin is given (e.g. COO The Netherlands);
  • Name and address details of the packer/sender are stated on each individual sleeve/pot (just an e-mail address or URL is not permitted). It is recommended to include the GlobalGAP number as well. The name and address details of the packer/sender may be replaced by the name and address details of the seller (for example, a retailer or foreign buyer) in combination with the supplier's code of the packer/sender. This supplier's code must be known in advance by the KCB. 
• Products intended for use as a garden plant (e.g. for transplanting in the garden) do not have to be labelled. The plants must meet the other requirements for edible plants (Global GAP Fruit and Vegetables label or comparable label). 
• For the complete regulations, refer to the EU Regulation concerning the provision of food information (EU Regulation).

         Potentially edible products that are traded as ‘not for consumption’ 

• When trading ‘not edible products’ from a plant group that contains both edible and not edible products, the supplier must specify this with quality code S77 (edible/not edible) with code 9 = not for consumption. It is mandatory to display “not for consumption” visibly on the product in the product information, using a stick-in or hanging label, a (printed) sleeve or a (printed) pot, etc. An example of a potentially edible product that can be traded as not for consumption is Capsicum annuum (ornamental pepper).

Quality and Grading Criteria

Quality and Grading Criteria

Batches offered for auction must meet the requirements below (in order to be traded as A1).

• The batch must be of good internal quality;
• The batch must be fresh;
• The batch must be visually free of animal and/or plant parasites;
• The batch must be free of harmful effects and/or damage from animal and/or plant parasites;
• The batch must be free of damage, deficiencies, deviations and/or contamination in:
  • flower/inflorescence/bud;
  • branch/stem;
  • leaf/needle/thorn.
• The batch must be of good form, composition and flower and leaf colour;
• The undermost 10 cm of the stems must be free of leaves;
• The stems must be straight and sturdy enough to bear the flower;
• The batch must be uniform in colour, thickness, sturdiness and bouquet volume;
• The batch must be properly packed;
• Products that are offered for sale per bunch as unit of sale (instead of per stem) must comprise at least 3 branches/stems per bunch.

• Flowers are graded in length classes in increments of 5 cm;
• The maximum allowed difference in length between the shortest and the longest stem in one bunch is 3.0 cm;
• The stem is measured from where it was cut up to and including the uppermost flower(bud);
• The length of the shortest stem, rounded down is indicated;
• The length grade is given during trading by using characteristics code S20.

Flowers are graded in weight classes of 1, 2, 5 or 10 grams, depending on the product.The weight grade is given during trading by using characteristics code S21. The average stem weight in the batch determines the grade to be indicated.

Depending of the product a grading according to other aspects may occur, such as number of buds, length of inflorescence, flower diameter, cultivation method, shape of cutflowers, number of clusters etc.

Number of flower buds:

• Graded according to the number of minimum flower buds in grading classes 1,2,3,4 etc.
• If flowers are graded in a class with the designation "and up" (upgrading), on average 5 stems per bunch of 10 stems must then have more than the minimum number of buds.
• The number of flower buds is givenduring the trade by using characteristics code S22. The code indicates the lowest number of buds per stem in the batch.

Length of inflorescence:

• Flowers are graded in classes in increments of 5 cm.
• The length is measured from the point of attachment of the lowest flower(bud) up to the top of the inflorescence and rounded down.
• During trade the grade on length of inflorescence is given by using characteristics code S29. The length of the shortest inflorescence, graded down, is to be mentioned.

• Length;
• Percentage of berries set (uniform; not in classes);
• Shape of cut flower, with the following values:
  • code 009 = without leaves;
  • code 023 = with leaves, no thorns;
  • code 024 = without leaves, no thorns.        

Position	Code	Description	Instruction
1	S20	Minimum length of flower stem	Required
2	S21	Weight (average)	Advised
5	L11	Number of stems per bunch	Required

A lot of Cut flowers may be designated ‘mixed’ if at least 2 clearly distinguishable colors/shapes per bunch or per packaged unit are present. One color or shape can form no more than 50% of the number of cutflowers in the lot (for ‘2 mixed a ratio of 50/50 applies). The mix ratio between reciprocal the bunches and the packaging units in each lot should be uniform.

Quality Groups Based on Inspection Codes

Cut flowers are traded in 3 quality groups: A1, A2 and B1, depending on the extent to which they meet the quality and grading criteria. The degree to which the batch meets the quality and grading criteria is expressed in negative comments accompanying the batch. 

Packing Requirements

• Cut flowers are delivered for shipment in cut flower containers or in boxes.
• Cut flowers must be supplied in packaging materials approved by the VBN.
• For cut flowers which are supplied standing in water in a container, clean drinking water (with the prescribed pre-treatment agents added to it) must be used. There must be sufficient water to prevent the flowers from becoming dry during the auction process. At the moment of inspection, a maximum of 5 cm water may be in the container. The water level is measured without the flowers in the container.
• A single-use box may not be used more than once.
• Products, including those with thorns, needles, hard branches and/or sharp leaf edges, and also products with (projecting) supporting materials must be packed so as to prevent the risk of any form of injury and/or damage to humans and/or the products’ surroundings during sale.
• Packaging must be chosen that properly protects the cut flowers during transport and sale in the rest of the chain.

Monstera leaves should be supplied in packaging units 566 or 577, with loading following the prescriptions per packaging unit given in table below according to leaf diameter. 

loading Monstera leaf


If the product has such a heavy structure that the aforementioned requirements cannot be met without the product suffering damage as a result, it may be possible to deviate from the packaging requirements following consultations with and permission from the authorised auction inspector.  

Berry shrubs must:

• Be marketed by stem, depending on the product, in bunches of 5, 10 or 25 stems, or by bunch, in conformance with overview 1.
• Be supplied in bundles or not, depending on the product, in conformance with overview 1;
• If they are bundled, they must be supplied in bundles of 5 bunches;
• Packed in a sleeve by bunch or by bundle, depending on the product, in conformance with overview 1;
• Be supplied in a cut flower container or in a box, depending on the product, in conformance with overview 1, and they must be full.

Overview 1


If the product has such a heavy structure that the aforementioned requirements cannot be met without the product suffering damage as a result, it may be possible to deviate from the packaging requirements following consultations with and permission from the authorised auction inspector.

• Optimal loading must be realised, whereby the volume of the bunches determines the number of supplied bunches per container unit.
• There must be at least 5 cm free space between the product and the tray above it in the stacking cart.

Indentification Requirements

Every stacking cart must be accompanied by a fully and correctly filled-in consignment note containing at least the following information provided by the supplier:

• supplier information: company name, address, supplier's number;
• auction or selling date;
• number of container units;
• number of pieces per container unit/packing unit;
• VBN container code;
• VBN product code: the code must be chosen which describes the product as accurately as possible;
• grading code;
• accompanying product description;
• type of stacking cart: auction stacking cart or Danish container (if applicable);
• auction or product group (if applicable);
• positive quality comment (if applicable);
• method of trade.

It's obligatory to label every packaging unit(e.g. bucket, box) with product andsuppliers information, namely:

• Suppliers number;
• Variety name;
• Amount (e.g. stems)per packaging (bucket, etc.).

It is advised to add the grading codes and the name of the supplier as well.

It is mandatory to accompany lots with a representative lot photo.

Genetically modified products must be made identifiable as such by means of correct indication of their GM nature in the product information.

Recommendations

• We advise you to indicate the following text on the sleeves of cut flowers that are wrapped in a sleeve per bunch or per bundle: “This product is exclusively intended for decorative purposes and is not intended for internal use. In the event of incorrect use, consumption, contact and/or allergy the product may have harmful consequences for humans and/or animals”.

• It is urgently recommended to deliver / supply the products cooled in the vicinity of the optimum storage temperature associated with the product concerned.

Penalty

If the above requirements are not met, the auction reserves the right to impose a penalty.