Single season crops (maize, wheat, rice and so on) prevail in inner Mongolia during the AMJJ period. Overall the crop condition was slightly unfavorable. RAIN was little below average, TEMP and RADPAR were about average (-1%, +0.3°C and +2% respectively, relative to average) and so was BIOMSS (+2%). The spatial and temporal distribution for these indicators, however, was very uneven. Conditions were unfavorable for the sowing and early growth of spring crops, as illustrated in the crop development graph from April to June: 58% of the cropped areas displayed consistently below average NDVI especially in the East and North-east: West Liaoning, North Shannxi, north Hebei and north Shanxi. This condition is confirmed by VCIx values lower than 0.5 in the listed areas, where the biomass accumulation potential (BIOMSS) is also poor. Later crop condition improved to higher than average in July. 

Overall, however, Inner Mongolia saw the fraction of cropped arable land (CALF) increase by 9% to reach 94%; VCIx was 0.93 on average and crop condition was favorable from July. The final outcome of the season will depend on August and later weather. 

Figure 4.7. Crop condition China Inner Mongolia, April-July 2019

(a) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI

(b) China Inner Mongolia spatial NDVI patterns for April to July 2019 (compared to the (5YA) (left) and (c) NDVI profiles associated with these spatial patterns (right)

(d) maxumum VCI                                                    (e) Biomass