DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS & STATISTICS

Detailed Note on Major Divisions of Directorate of Economics & Statistics and Their Work

1. ESTABLISHMENT OF AN AGENCY FOR REPORTING AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS (EARAS)

It is a 50% centrally assisted scheme (plan) Kerala is one of the three States (West Bengal, Orissa, Kerala) in India where a comprehensive system of land records has not been in existence, hence called a Non-land record State. Government of India in the Ministry of Agriculture has declared Directorate of Economics & Statistics as State Agricultural Statistics Authority (SASA). The scheme envisaged the collection of data for estimating area and production for each agricultural year by doing crop cutting experiments in selected zones which is a panchayat or one or more panchayats. The object of the scheme is to prepare annual statistics of land use, area and production of crops at district level.
Crop estimation survey for the major crops are also being conducted under this scheme. In addition to the above three minor crops also are selected for crop estimation survey (CES) every year by rotation.
Data required by the National Insurance Company for implementing the Crop Insurance Scheme of Govt. Of India are also given by this Dept. by conducting crop-cutting experiments on Paddy.

2. AGRICULTURAL CENSUS

This is a 100% centrally sponsored scheme. The main objectives of agricultural census are
i). to arrive at a distribution of operational holdings by size class and to assess the incidence of various tenure systems.

ii). to study the pattern of land use and the area under different crops

iii). to study the agriculture practices and inputs used in cultivation, specifically to estimate the quantity and type of fertilizers and manure used, extent of irrigated area along with the sources of irrigation.

Agricultural Census is carried out on All India basis once in 5 years since 1970-71. In all the states except Kerala, West Bengal and Orissa (Non-land record States) the agricultural census envisages re-tabulation of the data available on the land records. The methods of sample census is adopted in the above mentioned 3 States.
The sixth in the series is the present one with base year 1995-96. The main census with objectives (i) and (ii) have already been completed and the data has been given to Government of India. A quick Tabulation Report has been brought out. The tabulation of input survey objectives (iii) is being completed.

3. COST OF CULTIVATION SURVEY

The scheme for conducting cost of cultivation survey was initiated in 1979-80.
The survey intends to find out the cost of cultivation of the major crops and few minor crops covered in EARAS. This survey is spread out in 38 Taluks. From the Taluks zones are selected. Plots are selected from the zones as per the list available from EARAS (that of the previous year). Thus cultivators are also listed from the selected plots.

The data collected from this survey are used for the successful implementation of various schemes in the Agricultural sector, required to draw up realistic plans for the development of various crops, diversification of cropping patterns and maximization of net returns from them. Moreover these data are used by the States and Central Governments to fix floor support prices for agricultural commodities-paddy and coconut.

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