Very interesting graphics of flowers export in the world. The Netherlands, the country of tulips, remains the king of this market. Moreover, it should be noted that not all flowers sold at auction in Aalsmeer are grown in the country.
The auction sells flowers from all over the planet and the Dutch make good money on it.
China has become the second giant in the world over the past 30 years, but not yet on the export market – they sell 90% of flowers domestically. In the province of Yunnan, which was famous for its tea, floriculture developed almost from nothing in the 90s and today under the flowers of 18,000 square kilometers of foothills and valleys. This is roughly the territory of Israel. Every day, 11 million flowers are sold at the Dunan auction (versus 16 million in Aalsmeer).
The experience of Kenya and Ethiopia, which have also become major producers relatively recently, is interesting. And the key word here is not climate, although it plays a role – flowers need sun, water and a lot of hands. Most importantly, investments are needed.
Modern floriculture starts with seeds, which you have to buy from the best seed companies, otherwise you won’t be worth a damn. Then we need agronomists. The soil needs fertilizers, and certain rotation processes in their use. Then come pesticides from pests and weeds. Then the flowers must be cut and immediately put in cold storage, then in refrigerated freight transport, in a refrigerated warehouse at the airport, and a cargo plane to the market.
And only then “Give me a flower, give me at least one.”
A few years ago, while in Amsterdam, out of curiosity, I went to the flower exchange in Aalsmeer, not far from the airport in Schipol. A huge hangar, a balcony, flowers below, if you wish, you can go look at the lot. But no one is walking.
Traders sit in the auction room and buy by the numbers on the screen. Information from the laboratory on the lot comes out and the clock starts. This is where the expression Dutch auction (a short game) appeared. The arrow is moving, the price is creeping down and the trader can press the button at any time and that’s it. Whoever pressed first – that and the flowers. Pressed too early – bought expensive. You could wait until the price falls further down. If you waited too long – you were left without flowers, someone pressed earlier.
