Arjumand Wani
PULWAMA, June 23: “We are worried about our crop since past few years as Porcupines eat the base of our saffron crop,” Abdul Rahim, a saffron grower said while sitting inside a small shop in Lethpora area of Pulwama district.
Farmers have many a times raised the issue of rodents damaging their spice crop with the concerned authorities but to no avail, said Rahim while Tongs dangle from the head of his hooka.
The specific threat to the production of saffron has gone unnoticed and it comes from none other than the porcupine-type rodent, known in Kashmiri language as the “draen.”
Given its preferred diet of leaves, stems, roots, tubers, vegetables, bark, grass, and other similar materials, the rodent is a herbivore mammal.
Nisar Ahmad Mir from Ladhu village of the district told Kashmir Despatch that he has about four kanals (21780 Square Feet) of saffron land. “This mammal prefers to eat the corn and destroys the saffron sapling by its roots which cause us a lot of damage.”
He further said that, the rodent is mainly seen active from November- April mostly. Nadeem Ahmad Wani (28) an another farmer from Konibal village of Pampore area expressing his concern said that they can’t do anything since they are unsure about the source of this rodent’s condition and the best course of action, they are unable to take any action.
On this issue senior retired officer of wildlife department, Nazir Ahmad Malik, talking to Kashmir Despatch said, wildlife department can help in this matter.
“The best cure is the removal of the rodent from these fields by installing wire traps and other means like smoke.” Malik said.
He further added that there are other tactics that farmers can apply these are growing few specific plants in their fields as this rodent doesn’t go close to these specific plant.
He mentioned Astragalus Polianthes locally known as “Gagar-kond” and Iris plant locally known as “Mazarmond” plants to keep it(porcupine) away from the fields.
Porcupines enjoy eating tuber crops including potatoes, saffron corms (a swelling subterranean stem used by some plants to tolerate conditions like winter snow), cabbages, fruit barks, and other similar crops.
“The porcupine population is a severe threat to the local saffron growers’ crop.” He added.
While talking to Kashmir Despatch, an official from department of Agriculture said that they have taken a notice of this issue and currently they are working on a proper method which will be implemented soon.
