Bilal Habib
PAMPORE, March 13: Farmers in Konibal Village of Pampore, in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district, are facing extensive damage to their saffron fields due to porcupine attacks.
The farmers said that porcupines have been damaging saffron by digging out corms from saffron beds, posing a significant threat to the world-famous saffron industry. These porcupines primarily attack saffron fields during the night, causing extensive damage to crops that are already under stress due to climate change and irrigation issues.
Currently, the price of one quintal of saffron corms is one lakh rupees, and since December, dozens of acres of saffron land in Konibal Village and other areas of Pampore have been damaged by porcupines.
Speaking to Kashmir Convener, local farmer Nisar Ahmad Malik expressed concern over the recurring attacks for the past 3-4 years, leading to drastic reductions in corm availability. “The damage is pushing our saffron industry towards crisis, and the authorities must take immediate action,” he said.
“We earnestly request the concerned authorities, whether it is the wildlife department or any other relevant department, to take necessary action and find a solution to this issue as soon as possible”.
Other farmers, including Umar Gull, echoed these concerns, criticizing the inaction of the concerned departments. “We have repeatedly urged the government and agriculture department to intervene, but no concrete steps have been taken to control the porcupines,” he added.
The economic loss due to these attacks is alarming. “If a porcupine damages 50 kg of corms in a day, we lose nearly ₹50,000. If this continues, our saffron fields will disappear within the next 4-5 years,” warned Javaid Ahmad, another local farmer.
Under the Wildlife Protection Act, farmers cannot kill porcupines, but wildlife experts suggest relocation as a viable solution. The Department of Agriculture, Pampore Zone, has distributed organic wild animal repellents to over 600 farmers to tackle the problem. Additionally, drones were deployed to spray Herboliv repellent in the affected areas.
Farmers such as Basharat Ahmad Lone, Ali Mohammad Lone, Ghulam Mohammad Bhat, Abdul Aziz Sofi, Ali Mohammad Bhat, and several others have reported positive results from the recently distributed repellent, Agriculture Officer Pampore Ishtiyaq Ahmad Bhat told Kashmir Convener.
He said discussions are underway with the Wildlife Department to relocate porcupines to suitable areas.
Despite these efforts, farmers remain dissatisfied, urging immediate large-scale action to save Pampore’s iconic saffron industry before it is too late.
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