MoSPI Releases Review of Crop Statistics System for 2020–21 Under ICS Scheme
SDG 2: Zero Hunger | SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
Institutions: Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation | Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare | State Directorates of Economics & Statistics
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has released its Review of Crop Statistics System in India through the Scheme of Improvement of Crop Statistics (ICS) for 2020–21. The report assesses how crop cutting experiments (CCEs) and area statistics were supervised and verified across states. Findings highlight variations in the quality of crop statistics, gaps in sampling and supervision, and the need for stronger training, digital tools, and accountability in state statistical systems.
Such ICS reviews are typically released with a 3–5 year lag, as data from CCEs undergo reconciliation with state governments and methodological audits before finalisation. This delay, while normal, underlines the challenge of balancing data quality with timeliness for policymaking.
Reliable crop statistics underpin food security planning, procurement, and MSP policy, and are critical for forecasting output and managing agricultural markets. Regular ICS reviews help identify systemic weaknesses and guide capacity building in state Directorates of Economics & Statistics, especially as India transitions toward digital crop surveys and remote sensing tools.
What is ICS? → The Improvement of Crop Statistics (ICS) scheme is a MoSPI–State initiative that deploys supervisory checks on crop area and yield data to ensure reliability of official agricultural statistics.
Follow the full report here: https://new.mospi.gov.in/uploads/publications_reports/publications_reports1758801843005_154e7446-278c-4b3c-aead-b8fbcbacf290_AISR_2021-22.pdf