Saffron corms under porcupine threat in Lethpora

Pulwama: Lethpora villagers in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district have appealed authorities to frame a strategy to control porcupines causing damage to planted saffron corms in the area.
Lethpora is one among the important village in South Kashmir for saffron production.
The village falls near Awantipora along Srinagar-Jammu National Highway.
The residents said that it was after years that saffron production saw an increase owing to favourable climatic conditions.
However, the saffron growers are worried by the damage caused to the planted corms by the spiked rodent species.
“ For past two years favourable climate improved saffron production,” Mohammad Shafi, a saffron grower from Lethpora said.
He said that climate was kind for saffron growers but porcupines started giving a tough time to them.
“Controlling the rodent species is emerging as a challenge for farmers,” he said, adding that they were using flash lights and honking system to keep them at bay.
“These methods proved ineffective and costly for farmers,” he said, appealing authorities for framing a strategy to control the rodent species.
He added that if the issue remains unresolved, the rodents will cause destruction of the whole planted corms within next two years.
Porcupine is a spiked rodent which has emerged as serious pest for saffron over the past many years.
Since porcupine is a protected animal so farmers can’t harm it which complicates controlling their population.
District agriculture officer Pulwama said that the issue has been brought to his notice for the first time.
“ I will talk to technical persons and we will find out how it can be controlled,” he said.
Dr Bashir Ahmad Allie, head of SKUAST’s Saffron Research Station at Dusso Pampore, said that wild life department has to trap them after smoking their caves or they should allow SKUAST-K and Agriculture department to control them.