Dried streams to declining bats: The fate of Kashmir’s iconic willows hangs in the balance as climate change takes a toll

Industry estimates suggest that around 1.5 lakh people are directly or indirectly associated with the bat industry in Kashmir, including labourers, craftsmen, traders and transport workers.

However, all this is under threat if the winter of 2025-26 is anything to go by. The Valley received little snowfall this time, allowing production to continue through months that were earlier marked by harsh weather and work stoppages. Industry stakeholders say this reflects a deeper shift in climate patterns that is affecting the very resource the industry depends on.

Water, willow and employment

“We had a natural advantage in south Kashmir because we had many streams full of water,” says Haji Mohammad Amin Wani, a sawmill owner who supplies clefts to bat manufacturing units. He explains that dense willow plantations once grew along stream banks and wetlands across the region.

According to him, rainfall has reduced and snowfall has become uncertain, even during Chilla-e-Kalan, the 40-day winter period traditionally associated with heavy snow. As streams and water bodies dry up, local willow plantations have declined sharply.

“There is almost no willow left in our area now,” he says. “We bring wood from northern districts like Bandipora, Baramulla and Kupwara, but supplies are declining there as well because plantation is not happening on a large scale.”

Three decades ago, farmers commonly planted willow along rivers, streams and moist lands. Once mature, the trees provided a steady return, as willow wood is used to make cricket bats. That practice has largely stopped.

“These lands have dried completely,” says Mohammad Ayoub, a farmer from south Kashmir. “Planting willow, which needs a lot of water, is not practical now.”

Ayoub explains that willow grown on dry land produces inferior wood and becomes vulnerable to pests. Given the long time required for the tree to mature, farmers are unwilling to invest without assured water availability.

Wood merchants are also feeling the impact of shrinking local supply. Fayaz Ahmad Wani, a timber trader, says that sourcing willow has become difficult even in districts that were earlier considered resource-rich.

“When willow is not available locally, we have to buy it from northern Kashmir, but availability is declining there too,” he says, attributing the trend to changing climate conditions and reduced snowfall.

The shortage of raw material has directly affected employment. “Earlier, a unit would employ around 20 workers,” Fayaz says. “Now many units operate with 10 or fewer workers due to lack of work.”

Sangam, about 50 kilometres south of Srinagar on the border of Pulwama and Anantnag districts, is also home to the GR8 bat manufacturing company, the only International Cricket Council (ICC)–approved bat manufacturer in Kashmir.

GR8 bats gained international attention during the 2022 T20 World Cup when United Arab Emirates (UAE) batter Junaid Siddique hit a 109-metre six using a Kashmir-made bat.

Kabeer, CBMAK spokesperson who is owner of GR8, says the industry is facing a raw material crisis.

“Willow cultivation has declined steadily over the years,” Kabeer says. “Despite the importance of this tree, farmers are reluctant to grow it again.”

He stresses the need for a plantation policy and points to increased pressure from other wood-based industries such as pencil and plywood manufacturing.

Kabeer explains that Salix alba, commonly known as white willow, is the primary species used for Kashmir willow bats. It is a riparian tree that grows best in moist soil and is typically found along rivers, streams, nullahs and wetlands. Around 80 per cent of the raw material for bat manufacturing comes from such areas.

“For more than a century, we have been cutting trees without adequate replantation,” he says. “This has led to a shortage that threatens the future of the industry.”

According to Kabeer, rising temperatures have reduced groundwater levels, while plantation efforts have remained limited. He says raw material supplies have declined by nearly 75 per cent over the past four years, with south Kashmir almost entirely depleted of usable willow.

“If this continues, the industry could face closure within the next 3-4 years,” he says.

English and Kashmir willow

Abdul Qayoom Bagaw, a veteran cricketer who played first-class cricket for Jammu and Kashmir and later served as a coach for the state association, draws a sharp distinction between Kashmir willow and its English counterpart.

The difference lies not just in wood quality but in cultivation practices. “In England, willow is grown specifically for the bat industry,” he says. “The trees are farmed with consistent grain structure suited to cricket bat requirements. Here in Kashmir, willow grows naturally — not in cultivated farms — which results in varying grain patterns across different trees.”

Bagaw adds that the lack of professional seasoning facilities in Kashmir is another limiting factor. While English willow benefits from a controlled drying process, Kashmir willow does not receive the same treatment, affecting the final quality of the bat. He argues that with proper farming methods and seasoning infrastructure, Kashmir willow could be made more competitive, but water scarcity and the decline of natural willow growth have made even basic cultivation increasingly difficult. Yet the wood’s potential remains evident. The 109-metre six struck by UAE batter Siddique at the World Cup using a GR8 bat made in Sangam is a testament to what the wood is capable of when crafted well. With the right investment in cultivation and processing, Kashmir willow does not need to play second fiddle to its English counterpart, he says.

Parvez Rasool, Jammu and Kashmir’s first cricketer to represent India at the international level, echoes this confidence.

He points out that affordability plays a significant role in their popularity among local and domestic players, as Kashmir willow bats are considerably less expensive than English willow alternatives, making quality equipment accessible to a wider pool of cricketers.

But the appeal of Kashmir willow is not limited to budget conscious players.

“Kashmir willow bats have reached the highest levels of the game,” he says. During his time at the top level, Rasool saw Sri Lankan all-rounder Thisara Perera among several international players who chose Kashmir willow bats.

For Rasool, this is proof that the wood, when properly crafted, can meet the demands of elite cricket. “The bat has gone to the best of levels,” he says. “That itself tells you what this wood is capable of.”

Shift in land use and plantation choices

Experts and industry representatives point to shrinking land availability as another factor. Hybrid willow saplings are available through the Faculty of Forestry at Benhama in Ganderbal district under Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKAUST), Kashmir. These varieties mature faster, in around 10 to 12 years.

However, Kabeer says land fragmentation due to road construction, housing and other development has reduced plantation space. “People prefer construction over planting trees,” he says.

Farmers are also opting for faster-growing species such as poplar, which mature sooner and provide quicker returns. Even though hybrid willow grows faster than traditional varieties, Kabeer says awareness and market support remain weak.

According to environmentalist and climate expert Mohammad Anees, Salix alba is an indigenous species of Kashmir. Historically, willow wood was used for baskets, firewood and various household purposes, and the tree was cultivated wherever water bodies existed.

He says the tree requires moderate temperatures, ideally not exceeding 20 to 25 degrees Celsius (°C), along with highly saturated soil conditions. Willow has a shallow root system, rarely extending beyond 1.5 metres, making it dependent on surface and near-surface water.

“This is why willow grown near ponds, wetlands and streams produced wood of suitable density for bat making,” he says.

According to Anees, the Green Revolution period in the mid-1970s marked a shift in plantation choices. Farmers began favouring varieties that offered quicker financial returns. As temperatures rose and short-duration droughts became more frequent, willow productivity and wood quality declined.

“Farmers did not receive expected revenue and gradually shifted to other species like Russian poplar,” he says. “Poplar is more drought-resistant and its wood quality is less affected by water stress.”

Anees adds that over the past 20-25 years, average temperatures in the region have increased by around 2.5°C, based on available data. While poplar tolerates dry conditions, willow growth and harvest are directly affected by water shortages.

According to Anees, the areas that were considered suitable for willow cultivation two decades ago are no longer viable.

He estimates that production has fallen by 55 to 60 per cent in recent years.

SKAUST Kashmir has conducted experimental work using drip irrigation to support willow plantations. In selected patches where saplings received controlled water supply, researchers observed survival rates of 30 to 40 per cent, with stable growth patterns.

“These results show that intervention can help, but such models require scale, policy support and investment,” Anees says.

Need for policy protection

Several indigenous tree species in Kashmir, including walnut and chinar, are protected under various legal provisions, restricting their felling without approval. Experts and industry representatives argue that similar protections should be extended to Salix alba.

“This tree is linked to Kashmir’s identity and livelihoods,” Anees says. “People depend on this industry, but protection requires cooperation between the public and the government.”

He suggests delineating zones suitable for willow cultivation and protecting them from encroachment. Given that willow takes nearly 20 years to mature, farmers would need long-term incentives and financial support during the growth period.