Two state agencies have teamed up to estimate the country’s rice production using a unified method a measure that is expected to help remove confusion about statistics.
Officials said the new estimate would provide data that would be more credible than the data earlier calculated separately.
Earlier, the BBS and DAE used separate methods to measure the production of rice, which often presented inconsistent statistics that raised question of credibility.
To harmonise the rice production estimates of Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), the government in July last year undertaken a project, assisted by the Food and Agriculture Organisations (FAO).
The project titled “Harmonisation and Dissemination of Unified Agriculture Production Statistics” was launched at a workshop at the BBS on Thursday.
“The new methodology will jointly be used in estimating rice yield and production,” said Bidhan Baral, BBS deputy director and the project director. “In the last season, we have already adopted the new rice crop cutting methodology for measuring boro rice production.”
FAO Representative in Bangladesh Mike Robson said estimation discrepancy raises question of creditable crop data.
Under the project, 1,600 officials of both BBS and DAE were trained on the new methodology. The two agencies also jointly conducted experimental crop cutting in Barisal and Rajshahi districts, said BBS Director of Agriculture Wing Salima Sultana.
DAE Director General Mukul Chandra Roy expected that standard crop cutting methodology will facilitate getting reliable statistics on rice production and help policy planning.
“Agriculture statistics is very important to determine demand, supply, import, export and overall production planning,” he said.
Planning Minister AK Khandker said credible statistics is required for taking right action in right time to boost food production. “Credible data is also compulsory for ensuring food security of a country.”
Statistics and Informatics Division Secretary Md Nojibur Rahman and BBS Director General Golam Mostafa Kamal also spoke on the occasion.
