The country currently cultivates limited amounts of winter rye and wheat in southern areas, and spring crops will be planted from May. As such, the national average VCIx of  0.76 and the Cropped Arable Land Fraction decrease of 13% apply mostly to rangeland. Among the CropWatch agroclimatic indicators, RAIN and TEMP were above average (+4% and +1.4°C), while RADPAR was below (-4%). The combination of the factors resulted in high BIOMSS (+10%) compared to the fifteen-year average. As shown by the NDVI development graph, the winter vegetation condition was close to average in April, even if  value where seasonably low (< 0.2). NDVI cluster graphs and profiles show that southern parts of country was above average from February to April. The spatial NDVI pattern and profile show that the vegetation condition in 59.6% of  areas was above average from March to April in parts of Kokshetau, Pavlodar, Kostanay, Nursultan, Karaganda, Kyzylorda, Shymkent and Taraz provinces and some parts of north and east Kazakhstan:  Semey, Almaty, Aktobe and Oral provinces. Overall, vegetation condition was normal.

Regional analysis

In the Northern zone, NDVI was below the five-year average in March and late April and above or close to the average in other months. RAIN and TEMP were above average (+5% and +1.2°C), but RADPAR was below average (-4%). The agroclimatic indicators also resulted in an increase of the BIOMSS index by 4%. The maximum VCI index was 0.74. Among the CropWatch indicators, agroclimatic condition was favorable in this zone. 

The condition of vegetation and rangelands was generally below the five-year average from late February to late March and close to the average in other months in the Eastern plateau and south-eastern zone. RAIN and TEMP were above average (+3% and +2.0°C), RADPAR was below (-4%) and BIOMSS is up 14%. The maximum VCI index was 0.82, and the cropped arable land fraction increased by 3%.

The South zone recorded generally above average NDVI from late February to April. RAIN and TEMP were +19% and +1.7°C above average, but and RADPAR was below average (-7%). The agroclimatic indicators also resulted in an increase of the BIOMSS index by 15%. The maximum VCI index was 1.02 due to high and frequently non-freeze temperature.

 Figure 3.18.Kazakhstan crop condition, January – April 2019

                                                     (a). Phenology of major crops

(b) Crop conditiondevelopment graph based on NDVI    (c) Maximum VCI

(d) Spatial NDVI patterns compared to 5YA                        (e) NDVI profiles

(f) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Northern region (left) and Eastern plateau and southeastern region region (right)

(g)Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (South region (left) and Central non-agricultural region (right))

Table 3.41. Kazakhstan agroclimatic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departure from 15YA, January – April 2019

 Table 3.42. Kazakhstan, agronomic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departure from 15YA/5YA, January – April 2019