This reporting period covers the main growing season of summer crops: soybean, maize and rice and the harvesting period of early planted crops. For the whole country rainfall showed a 6 % positive anomaly. Temperature was 0.1°C below average and RADPAR increased 2%. BIOMSS showed a reduction of 3% compared to average. Overall, crop conditions were near average during the monitoring period. 

Rainfall temporal profile showed quite homogeneous precipitation events with values near average, but lower than the previous year. Temperature profile showed some variability with higher positive and negative anomalies in February and April. From the graph of Argentina NDVI development, below-average values  were observed during the whole reporting period. In relation to the last year, when values were near the maximum, the difference was quite high.   

CropWatch subdivides Argentina into eight agro-ecological zones (AEZ) based on cropping systems, climatic zones and topography; they are identified by numbers on the NDVI departure cluster map. During this monitoring period, most crops were grown in the following four agro-ecological zones: Chaco, Mesopotamia, Humid Pampas, and Subtropical highlands. The other four agro-ecological zones were less relevant for this period. 

During the monitoring period, the rainfall of Humid Pampas and Subtropical highlands were above average by 26 and 36 % respectively, while Chaco showed a slight reduction of 1 % and Mesopotamia a 29 % reduction. Negative TEMP anomalies were observed in Chaco (-0.3°C), Humid Pampas (-0,2°C) and Subtropical highlands (-0.1°C). RADPAR showed average values in Humid Pampas, positive values in Mesopotamia (+ 6%) and Chaco (+4 %), and negative values in Subtropical highlands (-3%). BIOMSS showed a slight increase in Humid Pampas (+1 %) and reductions in Subtropical Highlands (-11 %), Mesopotamia (-8 %) and Chaco (-2 %). CALF was almost complete (99-100 %) in these four AEZs. Maximum VCI showed quite good conditions with higher values in Humid Pampas (0.89), followed by Subtropical highlands (0.87), Mesopotamia (0.86) and Chaco (0.83).

Crop condition development graphs based on NDVI for Pampas showed negative anomalies since the beginning of the reporting period (the most relevant growth period for summer crops) with near average values during end March and April. On the contrary, Chaco showed alomost average values at the beginning and negative anomalies during March and April. Mesopotamia displayed mostly an average NDVI profile and Tropical highlands showed almost always below-average values.

Spatial distribution of NDVI profiles shows a mixed pattern among the regions. Some homogeneous areas can be observed in South West Pampas (blue area) with a negative anomaly around 0.1 and in Flooding Pampas (light green area) with negative NDVI values at the beginning, and positive values at the end of the reporting period. A mixed pattern with positive anomalies at the beginning and negative anomalies at the end (red and dark green areas) was observed in the Pampas grain belt (Center North Pampas). Maximum VCI showed quite good conditions (higher than 0.8) in the four AEZ with the exception of marginal areas in South West Pampas and South Chaco.

In general, Argentina showed regular to good conditions. No strong negative or positive anomalies were observed for RAIN and TEMP, but a slight reduction in NDVI profile was observed in particular for the Humid Pampas, the main agricultural region. Yield is expected to be lower than the previous growing season which showed near-maximum vegetation index values.

Figure 3.7. Argentina´s crop condition, January 2020 - April 2020

a. Phenology of major crops

b. Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Argentina)

c. Maximum VCI

d. Spatial patterns of NDVI departure compared to 5YA.

e. Time series rainfall profile

f. Time series temperature profile

g. Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Andes)

h. Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Chaco)

i. Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Mesopotamia)

j. Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Humid Pampas)

k. Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Pampas hills)

l. Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Arid part of Patagonia)

m. Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Dry Pampas)

n. Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Subtropical highlands)

Table 3.7. Argentina’s agro-climatic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departure from 15YA, January – April 2020

Argentina’s agronomic indicators by sub-national regions, current season’s values and departure from 5YA, January – April 2020