The period from February to May covers the growing period of spring rice in Vietnam. Most of the rice cultivation regions are distributed in the northern Red River delta in the Mekong delta in the south. The fraction of cropped arable land (CALF) decreased 1% compared with the average of the previous five years. Average vegetation condition indices (maximum VCI) were moderate (0.73). 

CropWatch agroclimatic indicators show above average rainfall (+28%), a slight increase in radiation (+4%) with average temperature (-0.5°C), which lead a minor increase of biomass (+2%). Referring to the rainfall profiles in Chapter 2.5 shows that the positive rainfall anomaly in Vietnam is due to abundant precipitation in the northern part of the country in April. Rainfall was average during other periods. The pattern explains the sharp increase of NDVI profiles over north-eastern Vietnam at the end of the reporting period. 

For 2016, the crop condition development graphs (average annual NDVI) tend to fluctuate around the average of the recent five years, never reaching 2014-15 or the maximum of the last five years. Considering, in addition, that the Mekong Delta is fed by water supplied by rainfall in distant locations (Including Yunnan and El Niño affected south-east Asia) and the drop in CALF, crop condition is assessed as not exceeding average.

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

(c)Spatial NDVI patterns compared to 5YA                                      (d)NDVI profiles