India’s ‘pencil village’ counts the cost of Covid school closures

Ukhoo village in Kashmir supplies 90% of wood used in the country's pencils, but the industry, a major employer in the area, has seen a dramatic drop in demand

School closures in India during the pandemic have left their mark on more than the children who have seen delays to their learning. In one Kashmiri village the impact has been catastrophic on employment.

Pick up a pencil anywhere across India and it is likely to come from the poplar trees of Ukhoo.