■ Only 100 officers managing the entire state

■ The last time recruitment took place was in 1982

Metro India News | Hyderabad 

The horticulture sector in the state is facing a critical shortage of field officers, with no increase in sanctioned posts since the department was carved out from the agriculture department more than four decades ago in 1982. This has resulted in existing horticulture officers being overburdened, each responsible for managing between five to ten mandals.

The State Horticulture Officers’ Association, led by President Gudimalla Sandeep Kumar and Secretary Ravula Vidyasagar, has formally appealed to the government for urgent reforms and increased staffing. The association’s delegation recently met with key officials including Agriculture and Horticulture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, Planning Commission Vice-Chairman Dr. Chinna Reddy, and Farmers Commission Chairman Kodandareddy to highlight the issue.

Currently, only about 100 field-level horticulture officers serve the entire state, excluding administrative staff at district and state offices. The limited manpower is hampering efforts to fully support farmers engaged in fruit, vegetable, and palm oil cultivation — sectors with significant growth potential in the state.

The association urged the government to sanction more Horticulture Extension Officer posts at the field level, adopting a staffing model similar to the agriculture department, and to double the workforce to meet increasing demands.

They also emphasized that many qualified horticulture graduates, including diploma, BSc, and MSc holders, are ready to join the department and contribute to its growth, but recruitment remains pending. Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao assured the delegation of the government’s commitment to bolster the horticulture department and provide enhanced services to the farming community.