Every day more than nine million roses arrive from Africa to the Netherlands. Top production is on the day before Valentine's Day and Mother's Day. Then over a hundred million roses are traded in Aalsmeer. Most roses come from Africa, because many Dutch rose growers went to Africa because the conditions for rose cultivation are more attractive than in the Netherlands.
The temperature is favorable, there are tax benefits and labor is cheap. Most greenhouses are situated next to rivers and lakes, because a rose needs about seven liters of water per stem. Many of the roses have a fair trade label. Zembla goes to Ethiopia and examines how fair the African rose is growing.
Director: Jos van Dongen
Research: Simone Tangelder