Srinagar, May 19: Kashmir’s famed cricket bat industry has come to a near standstill following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam.
According to industry stakeholders, the sector is currently incurring an estimated loss of ₹2.5 crore per day, as production has nearly halted over the last two weeks.
Fawzul Kabir, spokesperson of the Cricket Bat Manufacturers Association of Kashmir (CBMAK), said that the industry is facing an unprecedented manpower crisis as the non-local workers left Kashmir after the Pahalgam terror attack.
“Over 70% of our skilled workforce comprises non-local workers. Following the Pahalgam attack, these workers have fled the Valley due to safety concerns. As a result, almost all manufacturing units have remained shut,” Kabir, who owns GR8, said.
The cricket bat industry in Kashmir, particularly concentrated in the Anantnag and Pulwama districts, plays a vital role in the region’s economy, employing thousands directly and indirectly. The continued absence of skilled labour has crippled operations, and manufacturers fear that prolonged shutdowns could lead to loss of business to alternative markets.
“Our losses are getting accumulated. There is no progress in the production while our stocks have almost been exhausted. We appeal to the government to save this industry by instilling confidence in security among non-locals in Kashmir,” he said.
Kabir said that this disruption has come at the worst possible time—during the Indian Premier League (IPL) season, when demand for Kashmir-made cricket bats is at its peak, both domestically and internationally. “This is the season when we usually operate at full capacity. Our exports and domestic shipments spike, but now we’re facing a complete shutdown,” he added.
Another cricket bat manufacturer, Nisar Ahmad, said the production for the last one month has nearly gone down by more than 60 per cent.
“We have counted the number of local workers. Though we have raw material ready but due to the absence of skilled non-local workers, we are unable to grow the production. The sales too have declined post Pahalgam attack,” he said.
Pertinently, the Centre and the Handloom & Handicrafts Department of the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir last year included the iconic Kashmir willow cricket bat in the newly notified list of handicrafts.
The Kashmir cricket bat industry is home to over 400 manufacturing units and supports the livelihood of thousands of skilled artisans. These artisans transform locally sourced Kashmir willow into premium-quality bats, which have gained global recognition for their craftsmanship.