Why in the news
MoSPI published a review of India’s crop statistics machinery, pointing to slow field surveys, aged village maps and too few trained people for crop-cutting experiments.
Key facts
- Purpose of the review: judge the quality, accuracy and timeliness of farm data used for production estimates and food-security decisions.
- 63% of village maps were over 20 years old, making it hard to trace current boundaries and cropped areas.
- About 1.2 million crop-cutting experiments were estimated for 2023-24, many by untrained staff.
- Twelve states, including Bihar, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, showed very high girdawari delays.
Girdawari completed on time
| Season | Sample villages on time |
|---|
| Summer (weakest) | 33% |
| Early kharif | 43% |
| Late kharif | 46% |
| Rabi (best) | 48% |
Village maps older than 20 years
| State / UT | Share |
|---|
| Gujarat (lowest listed) | 5% |
| Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand | 93% each |
| Assam | 94% |
| Uttarakhand | 98% |
| Odisha | 99% |
| West Bengal, Puducherry | 100% each |
Crop-cutting experiment staffing
- Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh: about 40% of experiments by untrained personnel.
- Over 10% were handled by junior staff in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and West Bengal.
Why farm data matters
- The CACP uses it to estimate cultivation costs, and it underpins Advance Estimates of crop output.
- Government choices on export curbs, import duties, buffer-stock release, food inflation and procurement depend on it.
Key terms
- Girdawari: official field inspection, done by the village revenue officer or patwari, recording crops grown and acreage.
- Crop Cutting Experiments: scientific trials measuring average yield; used for production estimates, crop insurance and policy.
- CACP: under the Agriculture Ministry; recommends MSPs.
- Buffer stock: foodgrain reserve for security and price stability.
Exam angle
- Report publisher: MoSPI.
- Know what girdawari and CCEs measure: acreage versus yield.
- Gujarat (5%) was the contrast to the 90%-plus states on old maps.