AALSMEER, the Netherlands — Each weekday morning, the buyers descend on Aalsmeer, about a half-hour southwest of Amsterdam, arriving at an enormous warehouse covering some two million square meters.
They squeeze onto benches, glare at computer screens and, with the push of a button, bid on an encyclopedic array of flowers: everything from amaryllis, chrysanthemums and gerbera to kangaroo paws, roses and, of course, the famed Dutch tulips.
Then, from nearby Schiphol airport, the flowers can be sent across the planet. Today, more than half of the world’s cut flowers are bought and sold at the auction here, which has been the hub of the global flower trade since the early 20th century.
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