Willow under threat; Kashmir cricket bat industry seeks afforestation drive

The bats they produce have given some of the finest cricketers in the world the runs that made them famous. Cricket bats made from Kashmir willow were prized possessions in kit bags once, but that is no longer the case. The industries that produced bats, which formerly employed close to 100,000 people, are rapidly disappearing. Lack of high-quality willow is the cause.