The incomplete, unreliable, untimely and often scattered data about a crop’s area, yield and production have been a limiting factor in documenting and, subsequently, improving agricultural productivity. This results in losses at various levels, from farmers suffering as they are forced to sell their crop at prices based on speculation to larger players such as processors, exporters, and traders who do not have access to reliable data about crop size and other crop attributes. This uncertainty about the size of a year’s crop and the resulting rise or fall in the market price can be managed with reliable data. PAC engaged Dr. Ahmed Khan of Maryland University to conduct a pilot in district Umerkot and adjoining chilli growing areas to estimate the area on which red chilli was planted in the 2020 Kharif season. Results are forthcoming.
