This reporting period covers the full cycle of dry winter season rice (Boro) and wheat crops; both are irrigated. Although the period between January and April does not correspond to the monsoon the country nevertheless received 164 mm rainfall which was about 22% above average. The temperature at 22.3°C was 1.1°C below average. The recorded RADPAR of 1167 MJ/m2 was lower than average by about 2%. Due to good growing environmental conditions CALF reached 97%; The nationwide NDVI spatial pattern shows that 12.4% of the cultivated area was above the 5YA, 7.6% was below, 35.2% was above the 5YA till March, when it started to drop and 44.7% fluctuated around the average. The maximum Vegetation Condition Index (VCIx) map shows that the conditions of the current crops were favorable, with the national VCIx value of 0.94, most areas were higher than 0.8 and the low value areas were mainly distributed in the coastal zone of Chittagong. CALF exceeded the 5YA by 1%. According to spatial clusters of NDVI profiles, crops were poor in 7.6% of arable land, dispersed over the country but concentrated in parts of Bogra and Tangail districts. Overall crop conditions in the country were normal.

Regional analysis

Bangladesh can be divided into four Agro-Ecological Zones (AEZ): Coastal region, the Gangetic plain, the Hills, and the Sylhet basin.

The Coastal region received 153 mm of rainfall over four months (RAIN +22% over average) and temperature was 23.5°C (TEMP -1.1°C). RADPAR reached 1195 MJ/m2 (-2%). The crop condition development graph based on NDVI showed that it was close to the five-year average. CALF at 88% and VCIx at 0.96 indicated good performance.

The Gangetic plains recorded 164 mm (RAIN +73% over average) . Temperature was below average at 22.4℃ (-1.4°C) and RADPAR was 3% below. The NDVI development was similar to the Coastal region, close to average at the start and exceeding the average in April. High CALF (97%) and VCIx at 0.96 with BIOMSS up 15% (against 5YA) indicate good prospects.

The Hills recorded 145mm of rainfall (+4%), below average TEMP (21.8°C, -0.9°C) and favourable sunshine (RADPAR of 1246MJ/m2, -1%). The crop condition development graph based on NDVI showed that crop conditions were favorable in January and early March and decreased to below average from late March to early April. BIOMSS was below average (-11%), CALF was 95% and VCIx was 0.95. Crop conditions were below normal.

Sylhet Basin received the largest  amount of precipitation (191mm +4%). TEMP was 0.9°C below the average and RADPAR was 1% below. The BIOMSS potential of 568 gDM/m2 (the highest for any region) was also 14% above the 5YA. With CALF at 98% and VCIx of 0.92, crop prospects are probably the most favorable in the country.

Apart from the Hills, conditions were favorable for all of Bangladesh. 

Figure 3.9 Bangladesh’s crop condition, January – April 2020.

(a). Phenology of major crops

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

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

(k) Crop condition development graph   based on NDVI (Coastal Region (left) and Gangetic Region (right))

(l) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Hill Region (left) and Sylhet Basin (right))

Table 3.9 Bangladesh’s agroclimatic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departure from 15YA, January-April 2020

Table 3.10 Bangladesh’s agronomic indicators by sub-national regions, current season’s values and departure from 15YA/5YA, January-April 2020