Trinidad and Tobago

1. Regional Roundtable on
World Programme for the Census of Agriculture 2020
Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 22-26 May 2017
Methods for collecting Agriculture
Statistics in Trinidad & Tobago
Technical Session 18
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Nigel Gopaul
Statistician II (Ag.)
Central Statistical Office of Trinidad & Tobago
E-mail address: nigel.gopaul@statistics.gov.tt

2. Contents
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• Present Economic Circumstances
• The Agriculture Sector
• Agriculture Statistics
• List of Surveys conducted
• Outline of the process of data collection

3. NATIONAL ECONOMY
 Due to recent economic realities, many significant
challenges have been presented to T&T’s economy,
particularly in relation to the energy prices and the
importance of the agricultural sector.
 This reality has once more heralded the call for
economic diversification, away from traditional
dependence on the energy sector.
 As a consequence planners look to place greater
emphasis on the development of the non-petroleum
industries such as agriculture, manufacturing,
services e.t.c.

4. AGRICULTURE SECTOR
 The agriculture sector has been in relative
decline for several years.
 The decline has been attributed to external
factors identified as:
◦ economic structural transformation,
◦ changes in the global trading environment
◦ domestic constraints
 weak research, extension and marketing systems,
 inadequate area under irrigation, flooding
 praedial larceny.

5. THE IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURAL
STATISTICS
 There is an urgent need to establish a reliable and
comprehensive National Information System of
Food and Agricultural Statistics to assist in
monitoring and evaluating all plans relating to
food, agriculture, agrarian reform and rural
development.
 This would assist in the formulation of
appropriate public policies concerning the
agriculture sector.

6. AGRICULTURAL CENSUS
 The Central Statistical Office is
authorized to conduct censuses of all
agricultural holdings in Trinidad and
Tobago. The last survey was conducted in
July 2004.
 It is proposed to incorporate such a survey
in the next Population and Housing
Census as a separate module

7. CURRENT AGRICULTURAL SURVEYS
 Food Crop Survey
 Livestock Surveys
◦ Pig Survey
◦ Small Ruminants (Sheep, Goats and Rabbits)
◦ Broiler Survey
◦ Table Eggs Survey
◦ Duck Survey
◦ Apiculture Survey
◦ Aquaculture Survey
 Administrative Surveys
◦ Citrus
◦ Cocoa and Coffee
◦ Hatcheries
◦ Milk
◦ Import/Export of Food, Horticulture and Livestock

8. CURRENT AGRICULTURAL SURVEYS (cont’d)
 Administrative Surveys (cont’d)
• Slaughterhouse Survey
• Agricultural Chemicals
• Livestock Feeds

9. FOOD CROPS
 In Trinidad a sample survey is conducted using an
area frame methodology whereas in Tobago the
sample survey uses a list frame methodology.
 It is conducted on a bi-monthly basis and covers
29 major food crops, e.g. vegetables, root crops,
other pulses.
 Latest data available is for the 1st Qtr. 2017.
 Data is published on the website and in Bulletins
and Reports. Most data requests submitted via e-
mail.

10. FOOD CROPS
 Some of the output data relates to :
◦ Area under cultivation
◦ Quantity Harvested
◦ Average Farm Gate Prices
◦ Farm Employment
◦ Production related problems, e.g. flooding, larceny e.t.c.
 Missing data is estimated for by the use of
adjusted sampling factors and information
received from key informants and stakeholders

11. PINEAPPLE, PAWPAW, CHRISTOPHENE AND
WATERCRESS
 This survey initiated in 2002 and is included
under the Food Crop Survey but conducted
separately.
 Data are collected through a census using a list
frame on a quarterly basis.
 Output Data
◦ Area under cultivation
◦ Quantity harvested and
◦ Prices of harvested crop

12. LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY
LIVESTOCK
 Pig Survey
 Small Ruminants Survey (Sheep, Goats and
Rabbit)
 Apiculture and Aquaculture Survey
 POULTRY
◦ Broiler Survey
◦ Table Eggs
◦ Duck Survey

13. PIG SURVEY
 A Census of pig farmers is conducted on
a quarterly basis using a List Frame.
 Data are collected on:
 Number and type of pigs on farms
 Sales and expected sales and type of disposal
 Farm employment
 Production related problems

14. SMALL RUMINANTS
(SHEEP, GOATS AND RABBITS)
 This survey was initiated in 2005.
 The survey design is a census of a combination
of large farms and a 10% sample of small farms.
 Data is collected on:
 production
 capacity
 sales
 employment
 farming constraints etc

15. APICULTURE AND AQUACULTURE
SURVEYS
 These surveys were initiated in 2008.
 The survey design is a census of all
Apiculture and Aquaculture farms in
Trinidad and Tobago.
 Data is collected on
◦ Production
◦ Capacity
◦ Sales
◦ Employment
◦ Farming Constraints etc

16. BROILER SURVEY
 A Census of Broiler Farms is conducted on a
tri-annual basis (3 times a year) using a list
frame.
 Data are collected on:
◦ Number of Farms
◦ Number of chicks placed on farms
◦ Number, live weight and value of broilers sold and
expected to be sold
◦ Farm employment

17. TABLE EGGS
 A Census of Table Eggs Farms is
conducted on a tri-annual basis using a
list frame
 Data are collected on:
◦ Egg Production
◦ Quantity of Eggs sold
◦ Value of Eggs

18. DUCK SURVEY
 This survey was initiated in 2008.
 The survey design is a census of a
combination of large farms and a sample
of small farms.
 Data is collected on
◦ Production
◦ Capacity
◦ Sales
◦ Employment
◦ Farming Constraints etc

19. ADMINISTRATVIE SURVEYS
1. Cocoa/Coffee
2. Citrus
3. Copra
4. Sugar
5. Abattoirs
6. Feed mills
7. Milk Production
8. Fertilizer
9. Hatcheries
10. Import/Export data on Agriculture

20. SLAUGHTERHOUSE SURVEY
 Data are obtained from administrative
records on a quarterly basis.
 Information is collected on:-
◦ Number and carcass weight of cattle,
goat,sheep slaughtered at Abattoirs.

21. TREE CROPS
 Cocoa/ Coffee
◦ Data are collected on a quarterly basis from
Administrative Records of the Cocoa and
Coffee Board of Trinidad and Tobago.
 Citrus/Copra
◦ These figures reflect deliveries of oranges/
grapefruits and Copra to processing plants.
◦ Collected on a quarterly basis from the
Cooperative Citrus Growers’Association and
Copra Growers’Association.

22. MILK PRODUCTION
 Data are collected from private,
government farms and Milk Processors on
a quarterly basis using a list frame.

23. OTHER DATA COLLECTION
 Data are also collected on a quarterly
basis for Livestock Feeds, Agricultural
Chemicals and Fertilizers, from
administrative records of producers.

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26. Thank you
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