The sowing of wheat and barley started in May, as these crops are grown during the Australian winter season.

At the national scale, Australia experienced weather conditions that were close to the 15YA. Rain was off to a good start in April, but subsequently dropped to below-average levels in July. Accordingly, rain, temperature, solar radiation, and biomass were slightly below the 15YA: RAIN -6%, TEMP -0.2°C, RADPAR -2%, BIOMSS -3%. The agronomic indicators were positive, with a VCIx of 0.87 and an increased CALF (+5%).

The conditions in the four main wheat production states can be divided into two groups. The southeastern states, including New South Wales and Victoria, had above average rainfall, and below-average temperature and sunshine, which resulted in below-average biomass accumulation. While the southwestern states, including South Australia and Western Australia, both had below-average rainfall, low sunshine and biomass accumulation. As a result, the maximum VCI data for the southeastern states were better than for the southwest.

The national NDVI profile shows that overall crop conditions were even better than the 5-year maximum. The spatial NDVI pattern further shows that more than 50% of the cultivated cropland trailed slightly below the long-term average. Those areas were mostly located in the southwest. However, all the cropland had positive NDVI departures in July. 

Overall, the agro-climatic indicators in the reporting period are promising. The above average CALF and NDVI indicate generally favorable crop conditions. 

Regional analysis

This analysis adopts five agro-ecological regions for Australia, namely the Arid and Semi-arid Zone (marked as 18 in NDVI clustering map), Southeastern Wheat Zone (19), Subhumid Subtropical Zone (20), Southwestern Wheat Zone (21), Wet Temperate and Subtropical Zone (22). 

According to the NDVI profiles, three of the five regions can be assigned into a group, which had average NDVI. They include the Arid and Semi-arid Zone, Southwestern Wheat Zone and Wet Temperate and Subtropical Zone. These 3 regions all had below-average rainfall, average or above-average temperature, average sunshine, and below average biomass. The CALF was also average. VCIx was 0.99 for the Wet Temperate and Subtropical zone.

The Southeastern Wheat Zone had positive rainfall departure (+11%), negative temperature departure (-0.7°C) and sunshine (-4%). The biomass was consequently below average (-7%). The CALF and VCIx were positive; the crop conditions in this region were generally favorable.

The last region is the Subhumid Subtropical Zone. Although the rainfall (-9%), temperature (-0.1°C) and sunshine (-2%) were below average, the biomass was average. Combined with the largely improved CALF (+21%) and good maximum VCI (0.94), the crop conditions are promising.

Figure 3.8 Australia crop condition, April - July 2020

(a). Phenology of major crops

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

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

(f) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Arid and semiarid zone (left) and Southeastern wheat area (right))

(g) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Subhumid subtropical zone (left) and Southwestern wheat area (right))

(h) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Wet temperate and subtropical zone)

(i) Time series rainfall profile (left) and temperature profile (right))