Govt Rolls Out Multi-Layered Plan to Protect Pampore’s Saffron Fields from Porcupine Damage | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government has initiated a comprehensive strategy to address increasing damage to saffron crops in Pampore caused by porcupines, with field reports confirming the animals’ active presence in the area.

Responding to a calling attention notice by MLA Hasnain Masoodi in the Assembly, Forest Minister Javed Ahmad Rana explained that the region’s terrain—marked by caves, crevices, hilly landscapes, and overgrown private lands—offers ideal shelter for porcupines near saffron fields in south Kashmir.

To curb the damage, the government plans coordinated clearing of caves, bushes, and dense undergrowth with support from the revenue department and Panchayati Raj Institutions. Additional measures include installing deep underground mesh fencing around vulnerable fields, protecting orchard trees with aluminium wrapping and reflective coatings, and planting naturally repellent species such as iris, wormwood, and wild yam. Authorities are also promoting organic repellents, scent-based deterrents like naphthalene, and motion-activated lights and sound systems.

The agriculture department, working with the Saffron Research Station in Pampore, is assessing crop losses to develop long-term scientific solutions. A control room to handle human-wildlife conflict has been set up in Khrew, Pulwama, alongside night patrols, use of live-trapping cages, and farmer awareness campaigns.

Addressing concerns about monkey intrusion in nearby Wahab Sahib, the minister noted that while monkeys are not currently listed under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, preventive steps such as awareness drives and distribution of firecrackers to farmers are underway.

He added that a coordinated, time-bound plan involving multiple departments and local communities is being developed to ensure field protection, habitat management, and sustainable population control.