Pulwama, Dec 12 (KNO): Farmers in south Kashmir's Pulwama district are worried over porcupines, saying these night rodents are wreaking havoc on saffron beds, digging up and destroying the precious saffron corms that are vital to the crop's production.
Locals from Pampore, Lethpora and surrounding areas told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the damage is leaving them distressed. "Every morning, we find saffron corms uprooted and destroyed by porcupines," said Ashiq Ahmad, a saffron grower. “This could severely impact saffron yields and jeopardise the livelihoods of cultivators.”
Saffron production in Kashmir has already been in decline over the last decade, with climate change, irrigation issues and soil degradation taking their toll. The damage caused by porcupines has raised concerns among the growers that the crop might become unsustainable.
Growers like Waheed Ahmad are resorting to makeshift measures such as using lights and loud horns at night to scare away the animals, but these methods are neither practical nor effective long-term solutions. "We can't guard our fields all night, every night," Ahmad said. "If this continues unchecked, there will be no saffron corms left in the fields within a few years."
The rodent, according to the cultivators, becomes more active between December and March, devouring large quantities of the planted corn that are impacting the production
The issue is further complicated by the fact that porcupines are protected under Schedule IV of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, which makes their killing a punishable offence. Last year, the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) distributed a repellent spray, but farmers say it only provided temporary relief.
Experts have suggested solar fencing as a permanent solution to the problem. Solar fences use electricity generated by solar energy to deter animals, but many farmers find it costly. "We need government assistance or subsidies to implement this solution," said one farmer.
Farmers have urged authorities to consult wildlife and agricultural experts to develop strategies that balance wildlife protection with the safeguarding of Kashmir's iconic saffron industry. "Saffron growers don't have options like orchardists do for protecting their crops," locals said. "The government needs to intervene and offer technical guidance or alternative solutions."—(KNO)