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East African Flower Industry Wilts as Sales to Europe Dry Up

Marthe van der Wolf

   AMSTERDAM - Among its many other effects, the coronavirus pandemic has
   cut deeply into flower sales. This is being felt in the Netherlands,
   the center of the global horticulture industry, and in East African
   flower exporting countries like Kenya and Ethiopia, where tens of
   thousands of jobs are increasingly in danger.

   Aalsmeer, just outside of Amsterdam, is home to the world's busiest
   flower auction, where thousands of flowers are purchased each day and
   shipped all over the world.

   But since the coronavirus pandemic began, flower sales have dropped by
   50 percent, says Michel van Schie of the Royal Flora Holland company.

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