Agriculture Statistics

Introduction Agriculture constitutes the largest sector of our economy. Majority of the
population, directly or indirectly, dependent on this sector. It contributes
about 24 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and accounts for half of
employed labour force and is the largest source of foreign exchange
earnings. It feeds whole rural and urban population. Realizing its importance,
planners and policy makers are always keen to have reliable area and
production statistics of agricultural crops well in time. Policy makers primarily
need accurate and timely statistics for the important crops such as wheat,
cotton, rice, sugarcane, maize etc. However, in recent years, due to
persistent hikes in the prices of essential commodities like pulses, onions,
potatoes, chillies and tomatoes these crops have also gained in economic
importance.

Methodology of Crop Estimate

Punjab
Acreage Estimate:
The 1st and 2nd Estimates of area sown under 12 major crops are arrived at through Sample Surveys
undertaken by the Directorate of Crop Reporting Service, Punjab. The final estimates of area sown under a
crops are based on complete enumeration (Girdawari) of all Mouzas carried out by Patwaris of Revenue
Department twice a year.

The information gathered by Patwaris is passed on by the Revenue Department to the Provincial Bureau o
Statistics for preparation of computerized Jinswar statements.

The acreage statistics included in the 1st and 2nd estimates are approved by the Secretary, Agriculture
Department at his level.

The final acreage estimates based on the Girdawari are approved by the Provincial Agriculture Statistics
Coordination Board headed by the Chairman, Planning Board, Punjab.

Production Estimates:
Preliminary production estimates of 12 major crops are based on opinion survey undertaken by the Crop
Reporting Service of Agriculture Department. These estimates are approved by Secretary, Agriculture
Department. For final yield estimates, crop cutting surveys are conducted by the Crop Reporting Service f
wheat, cotton and rice. Grower's Opinion survey are used for other crops. The final estimates of major cro
are cleared by the Provincial Agriculture Statistics Coordination Board.

Sindh
Acreage Estimate:
In the Sindh, 1st estimate relates to area sown under all crops of area sown. The 2nd estimate which is fin
case of area and preliminary in case of production in respect of wheat, cotton and rice is prepared on the
basis of Sample Survey undertaken by the Statistical staff of Provincial Agricultural Extension. Final Estima
is the verification of 2nd Estimate.

Area sown of wheat, cotton and rice is obtained by applying raising factors to the area surveyed at the dis
level. Provincial estimates are obtained by summing the district estimates.

The area of other crops is obtained from the District Revenue Offices. The consolidated information is
examined by a sub-committee comprising representatives of the Provincial Revenue, Agriculture, Irrigatio
and Bureau of Statistics Departments.

The 1st and 2nd Estimates are approved by the Secretary, Agriculture. The Final Estimates are approved b
 the Provincial Agriculture Statistics Coordination Board headed by Additional Chief Secretary (Dev), where
Federal Bureau of Statistics is also representative.

Production Estimates:
In Sindh preliminary estimates of production for all major crops are based on subjective judgment of the
Agricultural Extension Staff. For final estimates, crop-cutting surveys are conducted for wheat, cotton and
Production estimates for remaining major crops are based on subjective judgment of the Provincial
Department and opinion survey conducted by Statistical Staff of Agricultural Extension. The final estimate
are checked by a Sub-committee comprising of representatives from the Provincial Department of Agricul
Revenue, Irrigation and Planning & Development. The preliminary estimates are cleared by Secretary,
Agriculture Department and final by the Provincial Agriculture Statistics Coordination Board.

NWFP
Acreage Estimate:
In NWFP the 1st and 2nd Estimates of area sown for all crops are arrived at sample survey method for the
selected districts. However for unsettled districts area figures are based on subjective judgment of Crop
reporting survey. The final estimates are based on Girdwari undertaken by the Revenue Patwari. These ar
however, examined by a Sub-committee comprising of representatives from Revenue, Agriculture, Irrigati
and Planning & Development Departments. The Final Estimates are subsequently approved by the Provinc
Agriculture Statistics Coordination Board.

Production Estimates:
In NWFP, preliminary yield estimates of crops are arrived at on the basis of grower's opinion survey
undertaken by the Crop Reporting staff of the Provincial Agriculture Department and later approved by
Secretary, Agriculture Department. The final yield estimates of ten (10) crops are based on the results of c
cutting surveys using random sampling technical. The final estimates of remaining crops are compiled on
basis of grower's opinion survey conducted by the Crop Reporting Staff of the Provincial Agriculture
Department. These final estimates of all crops are then examined by a Sub-Committee comprising of
representatives from Provincial Revenue, Irrigation, Agriculture and Planning & Development Department
These estimates are subsequently approved by the Provincial Agriculture Statistics Coordination Board.

Balochistan
Acreage Estimate:
The Agriculture Department collects and compiles the acreage statistics through their Extension staff on t
basis of their personal judgment. The final estimates of area sown for all crops are approved by the
Agriculture Statistics Coordination Board.

Production Estimates:
In Balochistan, yield of all crops is fixed on the basis of subjective judgment of Extension staff of Provincia
Agriculture Department.

http://www.statpak.gov.pk/depts/fbs/statistics/agriculture_statistics/agriculture_stati
stics.html
Go to the following links for further
information
http://www.statpak.gov.pk/depts/fbs/publications/yearbook2008/yearbook2008.html

http://www.pakissan.com/english/agri.overview/index.shtml

Pakistan: Priorities for Agriculture and Rural Development

BACKGROUND

More than two-thirds of Pakistanis live in rural areas, of which about 68 percent are employed in
agriculture (40 percent of total labor force). The agriculture sector accounts for about 22 percent of the
national GDP and has enjoyed steady growth for almost three decades, substantially contributing to
poverty reduction during the 1970s and 80s.

However, recent trend of agriculture incomes is far less encouraging and rural poverty was back to 38.9
percent by 2002, the same level where it was at the beginning of the 1990s. This has occurred despite
generally favorable policies on prices and markets, and a relatively liberalized environment. While
consecutive droughts have certainly played a detrimental role in the performance of the sector, it also
faces significant structural constraints that hinder the sector’s contribution to economic growth and
poverty reduction.

ISSUES & CHALLENGES

• Poorly functioning factor markets and constrained access to assets limit opportunities for rural growth
and poverty reduction. More than 60 percent of poor rural households are not farm households, with no
access to land or water. 38 percent of small landowning farmers are also poor. Incomes from non-farm
activities, including agricultural products processing, trade, construction, and transport services already
account for 63 percent of total rural incomes. Well-functioning factor markets to facilitate access to assets
(land, capital, water) and linkages with non farm sector are crucial for the growth.

• Inequality and land concentration: The agriculture sector is characterized by strong inequality in the
distribution of assets, particularly land and water. About 2 percent of the households control more than 45
percent of the land area. Large farmers have also captured the subsidies in water and agriculture, as well
as the benefits of agricultural growth. Agriculture credit schemes have also mostly benefited large farmers
who have capitalized the implicit subsidies through higher land prices and cheaper access to
mechanization rather than labor.

• Agricultural growth is constrained: The capacity of the agriculture R&D system has declined sharply
during the last decade, and both the adoption of Green Revolution technologies and the extension of
irrigation have reached saturation levels. Technology for rain fed areas and livestock is needed while the
past focus has been the irrigation sector. Livestock has been the fastest growing sub-sector, and now
comprises almost half of the agricultural GDP. Another constraint comes from inefficient output markets
and rent seeking in the supply chain systems, with value being captured by intermediaries. Liberalized
markets and the new WTO regime could offer new opportunities for growth if the Government adopts an
effective diversification strategy.

• Unsustainable water resources management: Irrigation is the single most critical component of water
management in the country. However, it shows signs of inefficiency and degradation: i) low conveyance
efficiency at 45 percent and deferred maintenance cause both considerable water losses (though much of
that goes back into the aquifer) and deterioration of major infrastructure (barrages); ii) illegal pumping
from canals and inaccessibility to water by the tail-enders result in unequal water distribution; iii) the lack
of transparency of the actual water flow causes inter-provincial water allocation clashes and inefficient
water management systems; iv) supply-driven system cannot accommodate farmers’ specific needs; v)
cost recovery is low because of bureaucracy and lack of accountability by the service provider (Irrigation
Department); vi) water logging, salinity, pollution, and land degradation are becoming significant; and
vii) storage management and water scheduling should be improved for water shortages during the winter
and oversupply during the summer necessitate

• Weak rural service delivery: Pakistan has taken major decisions to devolve authority to local
governments to improve service delivery This means the roles of different tires of government has been
better defined, and downward accountability strengthened. This is a dynamic process, and the country
still faces implementation challenges. However, strengthening service delivery and enhanced citizen
participation is critical for the development of the non-farm sector, the rural investment climate, and
governance.

PRIORITY AREAS OF THE WORLD BANK'S SUPPORT

1. Fostering agricultural growth and competitiveness

• Policy and Institutional Reforms: Recent reforms on the liberalization of input markets and trade should
be consolidated to take advantage of new opportunities offered by the WTO agreement. Agriculture and
irrigation policies will need to focus on diversification into high value products, agro-processing, and better
integration in supply chains. For the poor to benefit, increases in productivity should be reflected in lower
food prices, higher employment and rural wages. At the same time the research and extension
system need to be revised towards more demand-driven, participatory approaches based on public-
private partnership.

• Irrigation Sector. Institutional reforms and investments need to proceed in parallel. At the primary level,
long term solutions are needed for inter-provincial drainage problems and environmental flows to the
Indus delta. At the same time, the safety of infrastructure (especially barrages) will need to be
guaranteed. At the secondary level, the introduction of water entitlements and rights, greater participation
of stakeholders, transfer of asset management to water users, development of accountable service
delivery institutions, and improved water pricing and cost recovery policies are needed. At the tertiary
level, a better integration between irrigation and agriculture would help the whole system to become more
demand driven.

2. Promoting more equitable access to assets and natural resources management.

• Land: The high inequality in the existing land tenure structure calls for a comprehensive approach that is
socioeconomic and politically feasible. On the one hand, it requires better land markets functions through:
(i) improvements in the land administration system, including computerization of land records and
reduction of transaction costs; (ii) land taxation policies to reduce incentives for speculative purposes; and
(iii) market-based land purchase schemes to facilitate land access across size groups. On the other hand,
better allocation of State-owned lands should be further pursued to address landlessness.

• Finance: Access to formal and informal credit by medium- and small-size farmers and non-farm
enterprises should be expanded. For the poor, micro-credit programs that accept other forms of collateral
besides land, matching grants for income generating activities, and savings-based schemes may be more
appropriate to increase access to micro-finance services. An adequate regulatory framework also needs
to be put in place for this.
• Natural resources. The degradation of land, water, forests and natural ecosystems is pervasive and
mostly affects the poor. The situation in Sindh with respect to land use, salinity, degradation of the
wetlands, and floods will need special attention, given the large externalities involved. Policies and public
programs will need to address the incentive structure for sustainable use and mitigation measures.

3. Institutions for the poor and rural service delivery

• Participation and accountability: The importance to target the poor to share the benefit of growth and to
address their immediate needs is widely recognized. The Government’s devolution initiative strengthened
accountability and aimed to improve rural service delivery through capacity building for local governments
and communities, and citizen participation.

Livelihood opportunities. Social mobilization and increased capacity for collective action will enhance opportunities for
livelihood and income generating activities and greater "voice" in dealing with the private sector and markets. Support
for the basic infrastructure and social services delivery would help improving the rural investment climate, a vibrant
private sector, employment and livelihood opportunities, and linkages between farm and non-farm sectors.

http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/SOUTHASIAEXT/EXTSAREG
TOPAGRI/0,,contentMDK:20273773~menuPK:548216~pagePK:34004173~piPK:340
03707~theSitePK:452766,00.html