Lines of shops display neat stacks of willow wood along a nondescript motorway in Indian-controlled Kashmir's Sangam village.

Behind the shops are small manufacturing units, where that willow is hand-made into cricket bats that find their way to India and cricket-playing nations around the world.

However, in future, those bats will probably become hard to come by.

Kashmir's dwindling willow plantations are impacting the region's famed cricket bat industry, and risking the supply of cricket bats in India, where the sport is hugely followed.

The industry employs more than 10,000 people and manufactures nearly 1 million bats every year.

Most are sold to Indian tourists, while the rest are exported to Indian cities and other countries.

Mr Kabeer said demand for Kashmir willow bats increased after they made their international debut during the T20 World Cup in Dubai last year.

Tens of thousands of towering willow trees were introduced to the picturesque Himalayan region by the British in the early 19th century to maintain the supply of firewood during Kashmir's harsh winters.

Decades after, the region's villagers began planting the tree in abundance and using its wood to produce cricket bats.

However, over the years, farmers in the region have been planting poplars in place of willows.

The faster-growing poplar tree is preferred by the booming plywood industry.

The problem is not expected to affect most international players, who tend to use bats made from imported English willow.

However, it will hit regional players and cricket enthusiasts who use the more-affordable Kashmir-made bats.

AP