Bad Data Practice

India's crop statistics are far from perfect. The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) estimates that 9 to 29 percent of the primary data samples collected at an all India level during the last five years had some error or other.

The most common errors were caused by non-reporting of crops actually grown, reporting of crops that were not actually grown, or reporting of incorrect area of crops. Further, not more than 53 per cent of data is reported on time. Agriculture data is a key component of several economic policy decisions.

Shoddy work at the primary data collection level has a direct impact on the quality of the analysis carried out on its basis. Central and state governments should together find a way to improve the quality of data collection at the earliest.