A Presentation on Need for Improvement of Agricultural Statistics

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APresentationonNeed for Improvement of
Agricultural Statistics

• By
• Vijay Kumar, Adviser
• Directorate of Economics and Statistics
• Department of Agriculture Cooperation
• Ministry of Agriculture
• New Delhi

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I. Estimates of Area and Production of Major
Crops

• Crops Covered
• Rice, Wheat, Coarse Cereals, Pulses, Oilseeds,
  Sugarcane, Cotton, Jute Mesta
• Time Schedule for release of Estimates
• 1st Advance Estimates September/October
• 2nd Advance Estimates December/January
• 3rd Advance Estimates March/April
• 4th Advance Estimates June/July
• Final Estimates December/January
  of next year

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• Agencies Involved
• State Departments of Economics Statistics/
  Agriculture/Land Records who supply area and
  production estimates
• Department of Agriculture Cooperation,
  Government of India validates data sent by States
  and compiles all-India estimates
• Supplementary Information Used
• Rainfall, Temperature, Inputs Data, Historical
  Data, Estimates prepared by other agencies

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• Field Supervision
• State Government and NSSO officers check area
  estimates and yield estimates based on crop
  cutting experiments in the field on sample basis

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• Problems
• Large variations in area coverage reported for
  the same period, by different agencies of States.
• For example, two Departments in MP reported area
  estimates of 42.41 lakh hectares and 36.98 lakh
  hectares under wheat during January 2007
• Large variations in area and production estimates
  reported over time.
• For example, UP Government revised wheat
  production estimates from 286 lakh tonnes to 225
  lakh tonnes during 2004-05 from 2nd estimate to
  4th estimate
• Non-response, delayed response and large
  variations without any explanatory notes.

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II. Agricultural Census

• Information Collected
• Number and size of operational holdings, area
  operated, tenancy and land use particulars,
  irrigation sources, use of inputs.
• Agencies Involved
• State Departments of Revenue/ Agriculture/
  Planning/ Economics Statistics conduct census
  operations
• Department of Agriculture Cooperation, GOI
  coordinates work at the all-India level and
  brings out reports.

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• Problems
• Low priority given by State Authorities to this
  work
• Low rates of honorarium to field level
  functionaries leading to lack of interest by
  field officials
• Patwaris in the States are entrusted with lot of
  revenue and other works like drought, flood,
  elections etc. in addition to their own duties.
  This causes delay in Agricultural Census work.
• Lack of computerisation of land records
• Absence of legislation for conducting census
  operations like population census

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III. Horticulture Data

• Crops Covered
• Fruits, Vegetables, Flowers, Spices,
  Plantations, Nuts, Mushroom, Honey
• Agencies Involved
• State Departments of Horticulture/Agriculture
• National Horticulture Board, Arecanut and Spices
  Board, Department of Agriculture Cooperation of
  GOI

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• Problems
• Incomplete coverage
• Frequent data revision
• Variation in data from different sources
• No mechanism to check data inconsistencies
• Delay in collection and release of data
• Absence of sound methodology

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IV. Suggestions for Improvement

• Due priority to agriculture statistics needed for
  sound policy decisions
• A mechanism needed at State level for validating
  State level data after due coordination with
  agencies concerned and using supplementary
  information
• Computerisation of data processing and data
  dispatch needed for reducing delays and errors
• Data need be collected timely and as per
  prescribed methodology for maintaining credibility

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Thank You !!!