Raw material shortage hits Kashmir bat industry

Manufacturers only able to produce 30-40% of bats as compared to demand

At a time when Jammu and Kashmir government is promoting willow cricket bat to become a world class product, shortage of raw material is becoming a major hurdle for the manufacturers.

Due to the shortage of willow, the manufacturers are only able to produce 30 to 40 per cent of bats as compared to the demand.

According to the manufacturers, the shortage is due to the reason that farmers are no more interested in planting willow trees as rapid-growing poplar trees give them more returns.

"Our work is getting affected due to willow shortage. Farmers are already least interested in growing willow trees due to its less returns compared to poplar trees. And whatever willow is produced, a portion of it goes to the plywood industry as well," Fawzul Kabeer, spokesperson of Bat Manufacturers Union, said.

While seeking immediate government intervention to save the bat industry of Kashmir, he said, "Willow saplings must be planted on wetlands, state land, and other such places by the government to overcome the shortage. Besides, supply of willow to the plywood industry must be stopped, as it has other options available as well."

Earlier this year, nine international cricket teams, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, South Africa, Denmark, and New Zealand, had agreed to use bats manufactured in Kashmir which had triggered a wave of excitement in the industry that provides livelihood to thousands.

Seeing the response for Kashmiri bats, the government had initiated the process to accord the geographical indication (GI) tagging of the product. There are over 500 bat-manufacturing units in the Valley, mostly in south Kashmir, which produce 35 lakh to 40 lakh bats annually.

With GI tagging Kashmiri bats could have been sold across the globe. However, the shortage of willows is going to hit the industry hard in coming times.

President, Kashmir Willow Cricket Bat Manufacturers Union, Fayaz Ahmad Dar said the majority of the units have jumped delivery deadlines due to the dearth of raw material.

"Our season begins in August when 1000 mini-trucks laden with raw willow arrive at units. This August we received only 57 trucks," he rued.

However, a senior official of the Industries department said that the government, apart from pushing the infrastructure for the industry, was equally focusing to ensure the availability of raw materials for the unit holders.