arvest prices are prices, received by the growers at the time of harvest or within 2 months after the harvest of a crop in the villages where these are grown e.g. if wheat crop is harvested by the end of May, the prices which have been received by the cultivators in their village during the months of May and June are to be collected. If the harvest of a crop spreads over a longer period e.g. Sugarcane, the prices are to be collected for all the months during which the crop is harvested and extend to one month after the completion of the harvest of the crop.
Purpose of Collection
Prices play an important role in the economy of the Country. In the Agriculture Sector, prices of the Agricultural commodities are the major incentives for planning of acreage and production of crops. In the far-flung areas wheare there is lack of adequate communication system, the prices received by the growers are much less as compared to the prices prevalent in the main Mandies/Markets. An effort has been made to ascertain the prices received by the growers at the time of harvest of crop. For this purpose, harvest prices are collected by the staff of Crop Reporting Service to determine the price level at the Farm Gate. This gives an insight to plight of growers who are faced with ever increasing prices of Agricultural inputs.
Sample Size
The survey is conducted in all the sample villages selected for wheat yield estimation survey. Four (4) representative growers disposing produce at random are selected and interviewed for each crop listed in the calendar.
Collection of Prices
For purposes of collection of harvest prices, the price received by the farmer at the time of harvesting on farm gate is considered. The harvest prices of Agricultural commodities are collected by the Crop Reporters from four farmers by interviews.