During this monitoring period, winter wheat was approaching maturity and transplanting of early rice was almost concluded except for some areas in Yunnan.  According to the crop condition development graph based on NDVI, crop conditions were generally below the 5-year average, while they gradually improved after mid-March. Rainfall was above average (RAIN +12%) and radiation and temperature were close to average (RADPAR -1%, and TEMP +0.6℃).

The average VCIx of the Southern China region during the monitoring period was 0.89, and almost all regions presented above 0.80 VCIx. The cropped arable land fraction was near average (CALF +1%), and the biomass was close to average as well. Guangdong, Fujian and some scattered areas in Yunnan experienced a significant increase of BIOMSS. Guangxi was just the opposite. As shown by NDVI clusters and profiles, 32.1% of the region displayed above-average values. 12.8% of cropland, mostly located in Guangxi, showed negative departures during late January to late March and was near average in April.  During April, most areas in Southern China were slightly above average, while only 29.7% of the region was below average. Yunnan had experienced a severe drought starting in March, which caused serious crop losses. The drought intensity was greater than usual and will most likely continue until the beginning of the rainy season in early summer. A closer monitoring for this region will be needed in the coming months. 

Figure 4.16 Crop condition China Northeast region, January - April 2020 

a Crop condition development graph based on NDVI

b Time series rainfall profile

c Time series temperature profile

d Maximum VCI

e Potential biomass departure from 15YA

f Spatial distribution of NDVI profiles