This monitoring period covers the grain filling period and harvest of winter wheat, as well as the planting and early establishment of the rice crop.  The cumulative rainfall was 135 mm, which was 63% above average. The average temperature was 21.1°C (0.2 °C below average), whereas the photosynthetically active radiation was 1609 MJ/m2 (down 1%). The potential biomass was 12% higher than the 15-year average. The national maximum vegetation condition index (VCIx) was1.07, while the cropped arable land fraction (CALF) was 45% higher than the average of the past 5-years.   The NDVI spatial patterns show that from April to May, 50.4% of the crops in the cultivated area were above the 5-year average. 37.4% were below the average and 12.2% fluctuated around the average. Iran was hit by flooding in late March and early April. This presumably caused VCIx conditions below 0.5 in some parts of the country.. In general, growth porspects are favorable, considering the well gro-climatic indicators.

Regional Analysis

Based on farming system, climate, and topographic conditions, Iran can be subdivided into three sub-regions, two of which are the main growing areas of crops, namely the semi-arid to the subtropical hilly region in the west and the north and the coastal lowland in the arid red sea plain area.

In the western and northern semi-arid subtropical hilly areas, the cumulative precipitation during the monitoring period was 162 mm, 4% higher than the average, while the temperature was 18.6°C (-0.3°C) and photosynthetically active radiation (-1%) were both below the 15-years average. The potential biomass was 45% higher than average. The proportion of cultivated land is 41% higher than the average. The average VCIx for this region was 1.06, indicating better than normal crop conditions. 

In the coastal lowland and plain areas of the arid Red Sea, the accumulated precipitation 44mm (more than twice the average), while the temperature was 32.1°C (-0.3°C) and photosynthetically active radiation (-1%) was also below the 15-years average. During the monitoring period, CALF  was 117% higher than the average of the last 5-years, and the maximum vegetation condition index (VCIx) was very high, as it reached 1.24; the potential biomass was 45% higher than the 15-year average.

Iran’s crop condition, April ‐July 2019

(a) Phenology of major crops

(b) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (c) Maximum VCI

(d) Rainfall Index                                              (e) Temperature Index 

(f) Spatial NDVI patterns compared to 5YA (g) NDVI profiles

(k) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Semi‐arid to sub‐tropical hills of the west and north region (left) and Arid Red Sea coastal low hills and plains region (right))

Iran’s agroclimatic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departure from 15YA, April-July 2019

Iran’s agronomic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departure, April-July 2019