Drought killing gardening business

The local gardening business, which employs thousands of workers, is in danger of collapse. An acute shortage of water, the global economic crisis and the decline of new construction projects have led to a 60% drop in orders for new plantings of lawns and gardens in the private and public sector in the first half of 2009 - according to data from the Israeli Gardening Association.

Water consumption for public and private gardens in Israel totals some 150 million cubic meters annually, of which 90 million cubic meters are for public spaces. Barring any dramatic developments in rainfall levels this winter - an unlikely scenario - the Water Authority is expected to slash water allocations for public and private gardening by 100 million cubic meter.

Gardening Association Director General Hezi Mula said yesterday that the most severe blow so far has been to the grass industry. The situation in this area, he said, is a warning sign for the entire field.

"Gardening will be the main victim of the water economizing program that the Water Authority is about to implement," he said. "Employers in the sector will have no option but to send tens of thousands of workers packing."