Improving Agricultural Statistics in the COMCEC Region
77
of the weak capacity of the provincial statistical cells and the lack of coordination within the
Ministry.
The central agricultural officers provide data entry assistance. It is conducted manually using
Microsoft Excel and SPSS software. Captured data is transmitted on floppy or memory sticks,
and sometimes by postal mail to the Division of Statistics in CSO. The processing and analysis
of the results of the various surveys are often conducted at the headquarters in Kabul. Results
are likewise stored in Microsoft Excel files. There is currently no consolidated database
integrating all primary agricultural surveys. 49
Commodity Classification: Afghanistan uses up-to-date classification systems.
Table 47: Classification System Used in Afghanistan
Classification Version
ISIC (International Standard Industrial Classification) Version 3
HS (Harmonized System Classification) 2002
SNA 93 1993
Source: SSAQ Results.
v. Main Agricultural Surveys and Data Sources
Agricultural Censuses: No agricultural censuses are administered and instead baseline
household surveys with larger samples for specific subjects are used. An example is to develop
a seed supply chain and agricultural input delivery system50
Annual, Monthly, Weekly and Daily Surveys: Irregular and ad-hoc surveys on production,
area and yield of crops (mainly cereals and legumes), livestock, prices received by producers,
as well as price monitoring at the wholesale and retail markets are conducted annually. The
results are often published in national, provincial levels, at the Provincial Directorates of
Agriculture and Regional Offices for Agricultural Development.51
Table 48: Surveys of Prices of Agricultural Products
Survey Coverage Frequency Publication of Results
Prices paid to producers Cereals, vegetables and
fruits
Annually Provincial Directorate of
Agriculture (PDA)
Wholesale prices of fruits and
vegetables
Main fruits and vegetables Monthly CPI publications
Grain prices in rural markets Main cereals and legumes Monthly Provincial Directorate of
Agriculture (PDA)
Price of red meat at
government slaughter houses
Prices and quantities of
red meat
Monthly ESD/CSO Kabul
Wholesale prices of poultry
and eggs
Major wholesale markets
for poultry and eggs
Monthly Provincial Directorate of
Agriculture (PDA)
Source: SSAQ Results and CSO, 2014b.
49 CSO, 2014a.
50 SSAQ Results.
51 Ibid