An alternative sampling methodology for estimation of area and production of horticultural crops

Horticulture sector is an important sub-sector of agriculture with its contribution of about 20% in the Indian economy of agriculture and allied sectors. Fruits and vegetables account for nearly 90% of total horticulture production in the country. Although, India has emerged as a leading producer of these crops in the world, we do not have official estimates on large number of fruits and vegetables. In this paper, we propose an alternative sampling methodology for estimation of area and production of different horticultural crops. The study has revealed very encouraging results and demonstrated the feasibility of estimating the production of fruits and vegetables with much smaller sample size.