Crops was generally at average condition during the monitoring period (Figure 2.3). Harvesting of winter crops was concluded at the beginning of January while the harvest of summer crops (maize and soybean) is still on-going by end of April. Overall agro-climatic conditions were favourable, with 12% above normal rainfall and radiation, which all together results in slightly above average BIOMSS. 

However, conditions do vary accoreding to region. It is in order to mention two instances of abnormal conditions over the MPZ from January to April. The first one is the excessive rainfall during April in Santa Fe and Entre Rios in Argentina and in the southernmost part of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil. Rainfall departure clusters and the corresponding graphs (Figure 2.3 a&b) show that rainfall was about 250mm above average in those regions at mid-April. Agronomic indicators in Figure 2.3 do not show any negative impacts of the abundant rain. Nevertheless, from an agronomic point of view, the heavy rain during the pre-harvesting period may hamper the drying of the beans and the muddy soil in the fields can make harvesting difficult. Other abnormal conditions are the continuous low rainfall in the most northern part of the MPZ, including Mato Grosso, Goias, Minas Gerias and Sao Paulo as shown in rainfall clusters and graphs. The Minimum VHI map shows pixel values below 15 in those regions, indicating that crops are suffering from drought. Accordingly, BIOMSS in those regions with low rainfall drops 20% or more below average. Well above average (about 4 °C) temperature in southern Brazil intensified water stress. Most regions of Argentina inside the MPZ experienced favourable conditions which resulted in above average BIOMSS and high VCIx. 

As presented in the VCIx map, the condition of crops in eastern Mato Grosso Do Sul and Sao Paulo is below average. The VCIx value for the whole MPZ is 0.73. CALF is 1% above 5-year average. Uncropped arable land is mostly situated in southern Buenos Aries, from Bahia Blanca to Santa Rosa.