The current monitoring period mostly covers the sowing and cultivation of spring maize. Single cropping rice and soybean was sowed in part of the region since April. Overall condition of crops was below the five‐year average before June, but recovered to average since then as a result of favorable weather, especially the abundant and above average rainfall  after sowing in May.

Rainfall was 14% below average, temperature decreased 0.1℃ and radiation increased 3% compared to average. The BIOMSS was 1% higher than average. CALF was at  96%. NDVI followed diverse patterns in the region over the reporting period : it increased in the middle region of this area near Inner Mongolia and decreased in Liaoning. NDVI development profiles show that crop condition was close to average in the Region. Maximum VCI exceeded 0.8 in most areas except for south Liaoning, which suffered a heavy rainfall deficit (RAIN -47%).  Significant below average rainfall was also observed in Jilin province (RAIN - 29%). At present, potential biomass of Liaoning and Jilin increased 8% and 9% respectively due to improved sunshine (RADPAR up by 6% in both provinces). Potential biomass was below average situation in central and northern Heilongjiang, which is corroborated by low NDVI.

Overall, crop yield prospects in Northeast China are currently assessed as fair.

Figure 4.6. Crop condition China Northeast region, April‐July 2019

(a) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI

(b) Spatial NDVI patterns compared to 5YA  (c) NDVI profiles

(d) Maximum VCI   (e) Biomass

(f) Time series rainfall pofile of North East China