Agricultural Growth in West Bengal, 1949-50 to 1980-81-A Review of the Evidence


A Review of the Evidence James K Boyce There are strong grounds for believing that West Bengals official crop production data are rela- tively accurdte by national and international standards. Estimates of acreage and yield per acre of individual crops are prepared on the basis of extensive sample surveys and crop cuts, using the scientific sampling methodology pioneered at the Indian Statistical Institute in the 1940s. Compared to those of other states, the official data for West Bengal are relatively close to the independent acreage and yield estimates prepared by the National Sample Survey Organisation from 1957 to 1969.