A Comparison of Estimates of Consumer Expenditure on Foodgrains by National Sample Survey and Aggregate Supply Data

The National Sample Survey (hereafter referred to as NSS) sorted collecting data on consumer expenditure as a part of a country-wide multi-purpose survey in 1949-50. Since then, they have conducted several rounds of the survey of which the results of seven remands are readily available in published from. These seven rounds cover a time period of about five to six years. This paper is concerned with NSS estimates of foodgrains expenditure. It seeks to compare these with official figures of output of foodgrains as published by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.