Wed Apr 16 04:16:47 UTC 2025: ## Porcupine Invasion Threatens Kashmir’s Prized Saffron Crop

**Pampore, Indian-administered Kashmir** – Kashmir’s famed saffron industry, already struggling with climate change and market instability, faces a new and devastating threat: a surge in Indian crested porcupine populations. Farmers in Pampore, the heart of saffron production, report losing up to 30 percent of their annual crop to the rodents, jeopardizing a $45 million industry that supports 32,000 families.

Deforestation and climate change have driven the protected porcupines from their natural habitats into saffron fields, where they devour the precious saffron corms. This comes on top of existing challenges, including erratic rainfall, inadequate irrigation, and urban encroachment on farmland. Saffron yields have plummeted from 15.97 metric tonnes in 1997-98 to a mere 2.6 metric tonnes in 2024.

Farmers are employing desperate measures, including thorny bushes, floodlights, and night patrols, but the porcupines persist, digging deeper to reach their target. A government-sponsored organic repellent proved ineffective. The crisis is not just local; Kashmir’s saffron commands a high price globally due to its superior quality, and any significant reduction in supply could drive up prices and further strengthen the dominance of Iran, whose saffron has a lower crocin content.

Experts attribute the porcupine problem to habitat loss and climate change, citing warmer winters extending the rodents’ activity period and the decline of natural predators that once kept their numbers in check. Solutions being explored include deep-set wire fencing, biodegradable repellents, motion-activated deterrents, and possibly the reintroduction of natural predators – a controversial measure due to potential risks to livestock and humans. However, the immediate need is for government support, including compensation for crop losses and subsidies for protective measures. Farmers fear that without intervention, Kashmir’s unique saffron, a source of livelihood and cultural heritage, could disappear.

Read More