Porcupine challenge persists for saffron growers in Pulwama

Pulwama, Jan 01: The spiked rodent species of Porcupine is posing a persistent threat to saffron corms across many saffron growing villages in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
Saffron growers from different areas of Pulwama informed Rising Kashmir that the rodent species has been causing damage to underground corms for the past one month.
Showket Ahmad, a resident from Konibal village of Pampore, said that corms on around 5 Kanals of saffron land have been severely damaged in their area.
“A big chunk of saffron land approximately 25 kanals has modest corm damage by the porcupines,” he said, adding that concerned authorities sprayed a patch of saffron land with organic compounds for repelling the porcupine on demonstration basis.
He said that the spray is effective to keep the porcupine at bay for a few days and once the strength of the organic substance subsides it returns again.
The farmer said that they use some traditional means to repel the spiked rodent species but they too turn ineffective.
Abdul Aziz Sofi, a saffron grower from Lethpora village, informed Rising Kashmir that porcupines have dug up a cave near the circumference of his saffron land.
“They have caused significant damage to the underground saffron corms,” he said, prompting him to seek intervention of officials from the agriculture and wildlife department.
The aged farmer said that he urged the authorities to capture the animal.
Chief Agriculture Officer Pulwama, Mohammad Iqbal Khan, said that porcupine is posing a challenge for saffron growing areas of the district.
He said that the animal is protected under the wildlife act and as such it can’t be harmed.
“We have written to concerned wildlife authorities for capturing the animal and transferring it to some other places,” he said, adding that in the meantime they have used an organic substance on demonstration basis in the Konibal area of Pampore where it showed positive results.
“The use of this substance repels the porcupine from the sprayed area,” he said, adding that farmers can use this organic substance to keep the porcupine at bay.