Saffron Kashmir, famous faces of destroyed new terrorism: Al -Nais agriculture

Pampore, Kashmir by Indian- At four in the morning, before the first call to prayer, the echoes of prayer through the saffron fields in Bambour, Poloama, Kashmir, Bashir Ahmed Bhatt, 52, with a manual lamp.

The fragile air carries the smell of the soil, but its heart drowns – the precious saffron korm, which I sponsored for several months, and the jam, and devoured it overnight.

“It is like war,” says Bashir, his voice is full of thumb. “We have fought climate change, and we fought low market prices.”

“But whoever thought we had to fight the pulp?”

For generations, farmers such as Bashir Saffron In Bambour, the saffron industry turned in India and a third larger in the world after Iran and Afghanistan.

The Earth here is sacred by the local population, as it produces some of the finest saffron in the world with an unparalleled crossover content by 8.72 percent. Crocin determines the color of Saffron and antioxidants: the higher the value, the better the quality. Saffron Kashmir has a deep crunchy color and a strong smell.

These farmers faced a set of challenges and outperformed them-starting from the deadly murderous conflict between three decades between armed separatists and the Indian security forces, to smuggle saffron and glow in it while heading to global markets, which affects the prices of producers.

However, in recent years, the most expensive spices in the world face a new and unexpected threat in Kashmir: the Indian porch Crested.

An increasing threat in the dark

Once restricted to the area of ​​the region, the panther – a protected type in Jamo and Kashmir – in the saffron farms, is driven by removing forests, losing habitat and climate change. Unlike other rodents, these night creatures dig into the depths of the Earth, and seek to obtain saffron lamps for food.

Saffron production in Kashmir was already struggling. It was beaten due to irregular rains, and insufficient irrigation and infringement in urban areas in agricultural lands. It decreased from 15.97 metric tons in 1997-1998 to 3.48 metric tons only in 2021-22.

But over the past five years to the past seven, farmers say that the destructive damage caused by the pulp has doubled the crisis. They stated that losing up to 30 percent of their crops annually to the porch.

By 2024, federal government data showed that the saffron returns in Kashmir decreased to 2.6 metric tons, exposing the 45 million dollar industry, which supports 32,000 families across the region.

Ahmed estimates that at least 300,000 Indian rupees ($ 3500) of saffron in the past two years due to the pulp. “Initially, we thought it was stray animals. But when we started finding the porch throughout the fields, we knew the problem was greater.”

Failed solutions

The Ministry of Forests in the area, which recognizes the increasing injury, tried to spray a member of the two members of the last year. The farmers were hoping to keep the pulp in the Gulf.

“I have succeeded for a while, but they have returned,” says Abdel -Rashid, 45, an other farmer from the area. “They are digging deeper now, as if they had adapted.”

Some farmers have resorted to traditional methods: putting barbed shrubs around their fields, preparing revealing lights or even patrols at night. None of them did. The two who are uncomfortable.

“We need real work, not just words,” says Rashid, whose land borders Ahmed. “If this continues, the Kashmiri saffron will disappear.”

The invasion of the porch is not just a local problem. SAFFron’s Kashmir says is a global commodity, and any disruption in the supply can send ripples across the international market.

Iranian saffron – which makes up about 85 percent of the world -class spices – contains less crosses (6.82 percent) of his cousin.

As Kashmir’s revenues drop, traders of Iranian domination are afraid to extend beyond what already do.

“If 5 percent of the crop is lost to the porch, this is a loss of 29 million rupees ($ 350,000) annually,” says Bilal Ahmed, who is trading saffron in Srinagar. “Prices will rise and the Kashmiri saffron can become a little luxury that can bear it.”

The fate of “red gold” for Kashmir

When the dawn is broken on Bambour, Bashir Ahmed brings together the scattered villas left by the pulp. It sighs, knowing that tonight, the course will be repeated.

Currently, the battle continues. But farmers like Ahmed are afraid that they are losing and that the world may soon have to face the future without the valuable “red gold” of Kashmir: an ounce of saffron in the global market, cost more than one ounce of gold.

“If they continue to come, we will not have anything left.” “This earth gave us saffron for several centuries. If we lose it, we lose part of Kashmir itself.”

The invasion of the saffron fields in Bambour is not a coincidence. Mir Muskan On Nissa, research researcher at Sher-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology, says that the destruction of habitats and the shrinking of the forest cover provides a fewer number of this, which provides Saffron Corms as an easy-to-reach and nourishing alternative.

“Not only reduces deception and nutrition habits from saffron yield, but also harm the health of soil, which affects future agriculture,” she says.

She explains that farmers must adopt preventive measures such as deep wire fencing, which extends to 1.5 meters (5 feet) underground to make it difficult for the pulp and other rodents to dig their way. She says natural repellents, movement -activated sensors that run light or make a sound when animals approach, thus intimidating them, are other options.

She adds that creating techniques for my trap with safety and transferring them “is very important to protect both crops and porridge.”

Experts say climate change has played an important role in the challenge of porcupine in Kashmir. Irregular weather patterns have changed vegetable sessions, affecting the availability of traditional food sources for the corner. Winter warmerAnd that was rare in cashmere, now allowing residents to stay active for longer periods, which harms the saffron farms more than before.

Moreover, wild predators such as leopards and wild dogs helped maintain the environmental balance by maintaining porcupine numbers under control. However, as predators ’groups diminish due to the destruction of habitats and human activity, the porcupine numbers appear to have risen, as wildlife experts say. They cite a sharp rise in scenes and crop damage, although there is no official census of the porch.

What can be done?

Wildlife and agricultural experts now explore possible solutions to reduce the threat of porcupine.

“One of the suggestions is the re -entry that is controlled for natural predators, such as wild dogs, to restore environmental balance. However, this is still controversial, as it can pose risks to livestock and human settlements,” says Zuhair Ahmed, an expert in wildlife.

The most urgent solution that some farmers have tried is fencing and besieged. While the electrical fencing has proven to some extent in the deterrence of the porch, it is costly to many young farmers. It can provide besiege and transfer of porcupines, if it is used systematically, an applicable alternative.

Scientists are also developing biological processes that mimic the predator scents to intimidate the porch. Unlike the organic repellent spray that was tested last year, which resulted in mixed results, these new formulas aim to always provide a more deterrent without damaging the environment.

Enitzar Sohail, regional head to preserve wildlife and protect forests of North Kashmir, says that protecting saffron crops is especially difficult.

“For fruit trees, such as almonds and apples, the coating or covering of white color with a trick bags can provide protection,” he says to the island forces. The white paint reflects the sun’s rays, trains on the pests, while the Kani bags act as physical barriers.

But these tactics do not work with saffron, which has grown from the bulbs in the open fields, he says.

He says that cultivation of specific types such as worms or wild yam “around the field perimeter may serve as a deterrent.” These plants emit the smells that the pulp avoided.

“Also, spraying pepper solutions around the lamps may help, provided that the crop does not harm.”

However, saffron farmers say they need to help the government provide these changes.

They say compensation for crop losses, fences and long -term wildlife management policies can help reduce the crisis.

And time runs out.

“We are used to anxious about the weather or the market, but now, we lose our crop before it reaches the harvest,” says Ghulam Nabi, 39, says her farm next to Ahmed. “If this continues, our livelihood will be completed.”