Let's get the amazing statistics out of the way first,
because they are truly astonishing. Every day it trades,
Aalsmeer flower auction handles in excess of 18 million cut
flowers and over 2 million pot plants. The building which
houses the auction is the size of 120 football pitches, the
second largest building in the world and the largest trading
building in the world.
The mechanics of the Aalsmeer flower
auction are fascinating. Thirteen "clocks"
are scattered around the auction (see the
left hand picture), each clock
starting at 100 and decreasing to zero. For
any given auction the clock is started and
as it decreases the price of the flowers
decrease. The traders bid (see the right
hand picture) when they believe
the price has gone down far enough. They must time
their bid so that it occurs just before
others make a bid. This is where the term
"Dutch Auction" comes from.
As a tourist at the Aalsmeer Flower Auction you will be lead over
the viewing area which is suspended above the
auction. The action below you is manically
fast as traders dash around and lots of
flowers are moved by fast trolleys.
Flowers and plants are grouped by purchaser
and at the end of the auction they are sent
to the local airport. The plants are shipped
all around the world and typically will be
sold in the market and reach their
destinations in the USA within 24 hours.
On the left is a short video taken at
the Aalsmeer flower auction 8km from the
centre of Amsterdam.
It shows one of the auction rooms full
with bidders for the flowers. The big
"clock" on the left records the price as it
falls. Each of the bidders has a computer
connected to the central trading room and
when they press a button their bid is
recorded and the flowers purchased.
You can also see the flowers below the
clock being wheeled round so that the
bidders know what is on offer.
The whole process is conducted at a
frenetic pace with millions and millions of
cut flowers and potted plants being sold
each day.
If you are in Amsterdam and have a
morning to spare then this is a "must-see".
Far, far more fun, amusing and informative
than a morning spent in one of the museums
or exhibits in Central Amsterdam.
Below we present to you another video
showing how the flowers are moved in and out of the
despatch and collection areas. The trolleys are
driven at high speed across the floor and it is
amazing they don't crash into each other!
OPENING TIMES, GETTING THERE ETC.
Opening Times: Monday to
Friday between 7.30am and 11am. Get there before 9am
for the best action.
Ticket Prices: €5 for adults, €3
for children.
Location: 13 km (8 miles) of
Amsterdam. The address is:
Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer
Legmeerdijk 313
Postbus 1000
1430 BA Aalsmeer
Getting There: From Central
Amsterdam, go to the front of Centraal Station (near
the Victoria Hotel) and catch the 172 shuttle bus to
Aalsmeer which leaves about every half an hour.
Allow about an hour for the journey because there
are lots of stops on the way. The first bus leaves at 05.07.
There is also the 198 bus from Schiphol Airport
which departs every 15 minutes and the journey takes
about 40 minutes.
Official Site: Details in English
can found by
clicking
here.
