Local and Regional Procurement Learning Alliance
6. Market Data
ASSESSING SECONDARY DATA
Using secondary data:
• Conserves time & resources: utilize secondary data whenever
possible; collect primary data to fill gaps
• Requires identification of existing sources: price data is often
collected by governments, international organizations, national
agricultural research services (NARS)
– Secondary data may be available for wholesale and/or retail
prices; we need both
– After requesting price data, always clarify collection method
• Requires that primary data be collected using same
procedures as secondary data: this approach ensure
comparability and combinability
Price data collected by a governmental or other agency
• Check agricultural ministries, trade ministries,
national statistical offices for agricultural price data
• Look online, in local news media, historical
publications and archives
• Search first, then arrange a visit with data collection
agency
Examples of online sources
• Start here:
– List of country-specific statistical agencies http://www.ssb.no/en/links/
• Government databases:
– Bangladesh’s Department of Agricultural Marketing:
http://www.dam.gov.bd/jsp/advancedSearchReport.jsp
– Benin (French only): http://www.insae-bj.org/
• NARS databases:
– Check with CGIAR centers, WFP country offices, FAO country offices
• Data aggregators:
– Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS NET):
http://www.fews.net/Pages/markettrade.aspx?loc=3&l=en
Understanding the methods used by governmental or
other agencies to collect data
• Examine methodology, surveys (if available), prior to
meeting with agency official
• Ask officials how, where and when data are collected
with a series of targeted questions
• Only use data collected monthly or more often
• Understanding previously used methods is critical for
process replication and data comparability
Example questions to ask agency official
• From what markets are these prices collected?
• Are the prices in the dataset retail prices? Wholesale
prices? Farm-gate prices?
• From whom are these prices collected?
• For what volume are the prices collected?
• For each commodity price that the CO will track: what
are the commodity’s color, size, quality, and
condition?
• How frequently are these prices collected?
• Are prices averages over time or across several
traders?
Obtaining secondary data
• Find out how quickly secondary data will be available
• Try to obtain data for the last 24 months, but ideally
60 months
• Consider offering to make your data available to the
secondary data provider
• If your CO is heavily dependent on delayed
secondary data, consider collecting some primary
data for monitoring purposes
During the interview: Map secondary price data collection
processes by commodity
Type of
price
Number of
respondents
in each
market?
Buying or
selling
price?
Purchase
Commodity
volumes of quality and
prices
condition?
reported?
Example:
Commodity
1: Maize
Example:
Wholesale
Example:
5
Examples: Example:
Selling
90kg bag
Commodity
1: ________
Retail
Commodity
1: ________
Wholesale
Commodity
2: ________
Retail
Commodity
2: ________
Wholesale
Commodity
color and
size?
Example:
Example:
Dried maize White
in grain
maize
form
Number of
times data
collected per
month?
Within each
month, on what
day are prices
collected?
Are the prices
averages across
traders and/or
time? If so,
explain
calculation.
Example:
Two times
Example:
The first and
third Monday
of every month
Example:
No – each
price is
reported
separately.