[ZAF]

This report covers the main growing period of the summer crops, including soybeans, sorghum, sunflower and groundnuts. Soybean harvesting period  started in April and maize harvest will start later in the beginning of May.

In some regions of the country, the delay of the onset of summer rains forced farmers to sow their crops outside of the ideal window. Starting from January, the situation improved, since above-average rain was recorded. Subsequently, rain dropped to below-average levels again. Nevertheless, the situation was quite favorable for the maize-belt region of South Africa, extending to the Eastern Cape and up to the KwaZulu-Natal states. The northern regions of  Kwazulu Natal, Limpopo and Free State remained under soil moisture stress. Overall, the conditions for South Africa were mixed.

At the national level, rainfall was 4% below average. The recorded temperature was 19.3°C  (-0.2°C). Biomass slightly increased to 668 gDM/m2  (+1%).   90% of the cropped area was cultivated, which was an 8% expansion over the 5YA. Based on the NDVI graph, crop conditions were above average during the whole month of February, but later in March, conditions declined to the average until April. Conditions were below average during the whole period in cropped areas of the Eastern and Western Cape provinces, where VCIx was less than 0.5 . The countrywide maximum VCI was good (0.89), mainly in Kwazulu-Natal and northern coastal areas of Eastern Cape Province.

Regional analysis

In South Africa, three agro‐ecological zones (AEZs) that are important for crop production are considered: the Mediterranean zone, Humid Cape Fold mountains zone and the Dry Highveld and Bushveld zone which is known for maize and a  pertinent zone for food supply.

The Mediterranean zone, the region with extensive cultivation of winter wheat, received rainfall of 86 mm (15 % below the average), and the temperatures remained constant at 19.4 ℃. The RADPAR was 1295 MJ/m²  (-1%) and BIOMSS 638 gDM/m2  (-4%). Cropped area covered  97 % of cultivated land (+ 2% of departure). Crop conditions remained above average during the whole growing period from January up to April in the east and west of the zone and the maximum VCI also increased  to 0.65.

In the Humid Cape Fold Mountains, the average rainfall was 311 mm (-11%)   and temperature was 19.8℃ (+0.1℃). RADPAR was 1149MJ/m² (+2%) and the biomass was 616 (-3%). Even though there was a reduction in rainfall (-11%), the cropped arable land fraction increased to 97% (+1.5 %) and the vegetation condition was good with a maximum VCI of 0.92.

In Dry, Highveld and Bushveld maize areas, rainfall (-2%) and temperature (-0.3℃) were below average. The observed RADPAR was 1275 MJ/m² (+2%) which consequently increased the BIOMSS by 2% above average. Almost 99% of cultivated land was cropped; the NDVI-based graph for crop conditions indicated above-average conditions and the maximum VCI was higher (0.92).

(a)  Phenology of main Crop

(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

(h) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI Arid desert (left) and Humid sub-tropical (right)

(i)  Crop condition development graph based on NDVI semiarid steppe (left)  and Mediterranean (right)

Country agro-climatic indicators by sub‐national regions, current season's values and departure from 15YA, January - April 2020

Country agronomic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departures, January to April 2020