TIRUCHY: Officials of the Tamil Nadu Horticulture Department staged a protest in Tiruchy on Thursday opposing the State government’s decision to merge horticulture field staff with the Agriculture Department, warning that the move would negatively impact farmers.
Gathering in front of the Collectorate, the protesting officials, led by association president Dhanasekar, said horticulture farmers depend heavily on specialised technical guidance and that merging staff would dilute the support system that currently helps farmers earn higher income through horticulture crops.
They alleged that the government’s plan to transfer horticulture field officers following the merger would further disrupt services and leave farmers without dedicated assistance.
The protesters raised slogans urging the government to withdraw both the merger and the transfer proposal, stressing that the decision would affect the livelihood of thousands of farmers who rely on crop-specific expertise provided by horticulture officers.