The ongoing season inSouth-west China shows overall below average conditions. Compared with the thirteen-yearaverage, precipitation (RAIN) in South-west China slightly increased by 2%, temperature(TEMP) increased by 0.5°C, while PAR (RADPAR) decreased by 5%. This resulted inan overall decrease of biomass potential (BIOMSS) by 3%, compared to the five-yearaverage. According to the crop condition development graph based on NDVI, inApril and July, crop condition in the region reached the five-year averagelevel, while in May and June, it was below, especially in northern Yunnan,Guizhou, western Hunan, and north-west Guangxi. This is also reflected by thespatial NDVI pattern and profiles. The other regions, accounting for 50.8% ofSouthwest China, including eastern Sichuan, southern Gansu, southern Shaanxi, westernHubei, and western Chongqing areas, showed a relative stable situation accordingto the NDVI profiles. Nearly all arable land was actually cropped over theregion, with fraction of cropped arable land reaching 0.98. The BIOMSSindicator shows a favorable situation in Guizhou, north-west Guangxi, south-westHunan, and north-east Yunnan. On the contrary, poor conditions in north-eastand south-east Sichuan and in the south of Shaanxi province will need closemonitoring in the coming months.

Figure4.11. Crop condition Southwest China region, April-July 2014