Page 50 - Demo

The Benefits of ClimateDespite the Netherlands%u2019 dominance of the flower market, there are many places with a better climate for growing flowers. The climate of Ecuador, for example, is almost perfect. Mauricio D%u00e1valos is the man responsible for starting Ecuador%u2019s flower industry, which has grown quickly over recent years. %u201cOur biggest edge is nature,%u201d he claims. %u201cOur roses are the best in the world.%u201d With predictable rainy periods and 12 hours of sunlight each day, Ecuador%u2019s roses are known for their large heads and long, straight stems. Every year, Ecuador sells about 500 million flowers to the United States alone. The industry has brought employment opportunities and a stronger economy to regions of the country. %u201cMy family has TV now. There are radios,%u201d says Yolanda Quishpe, 20, who picked roses for four years.To others, the increasingly international nature of the flower trade is very bad news. In recent years, local growers in the United States faced huge competition from international flower companies; many have even lost their businesses. Lina Hale, an independent rose grower in California, said her father predicted the situation in the 1980s. %u201cI see a freight train coming down the track,%u201d he warned her, %u201cand it%u2019s coming straight towards us.%u201d Her father%u2019s prediction%u2014sadly%u2014has largely come true. In a globalized world, what happens in one place often has far-reaching effects.DEAt Aalsmeer, delicate orchid plants are prepared for auction.ColombiaEcuador102Unit 7A