This report covers the cultivation and harvest of wheat and the sowing and early growth period of maize in Uzbekistan.  

The crop conditions for the whole country were generally favorable. The national average VCIx was 0.88, and the cropped arable land fraction increased by 30%. Among the CropWatch agroclimatic indicators, TEMP and RADPAR were slightly below average (‐0.5°C and ‐4%), while RAIN increased by 62%. Especially April and May were wetter than normal. This resulted in an increased BIOMSS (+5%) compared to the recent fifteen‐year average. As shown by the NDVI development graph, crop conditions were above or near average in the whole period except for June. The NDVI cluster graphs and profiles showed that most areas across Uzbekistan experienced favorable crop conditions during this monitoring period. About 35% of the cropland had above average conditions from April to July, covering most provinces of Samarkand, Kashkadarya, Surkhadarya, Jizzakh, and some small parts of Nawoiy, Sirdaryo, Tashkent, Namangan, Ferghana and Andijon provinces.  In contrast, about 15% of the arable land was below the five-year-average NDVI, mainly in the Karakalpakstan, Khorezm, and Bukhoro provinces. Overall, the crop conditions are estimated to be favorable.

Regional analysis

In the rainfed Eastern hilly cereals zone, NDVI was  above average from April to mid May and near average from the end of May to the end of July. RAIN was above average (+63%), and RADPAR and TEMP were below average (‐4% and  ‐0.6°C). The combination of the factors resulted in a BIOMSS increase (+12%) compared to the five‐year average. The maximum VCI index was 0.95, while the cropped area increased by 19% compared to the five-year average. Overall, crop prospects in this region are good.

In the irrigated Aral Sea cotton zone, the crop conditions, after a favorable start in April, dropped to below the 5YA starting in late May. Accumulated rainfall (RAIN -29%) was below the 15YA, RADPAR (‐1%) was slightly below and temperatures were higher (TEMP +0.5°C) than average. The BIOMSS index decreased by 17% compared to the fifteen-year average. The maximum VCI index was 0.81, while the cropped arable land decreased by 3%. Overall crop prospects are slightly unfavorable.

Figure 3.43 Uzbekistan’s 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) Rainfall profiles                                                                                                                              

(g) Temperature profiles

(f) Crop   condition development graph based on NDVI Aral Sea cotton region (left)   Eastern hilly cereals region (right)

(g) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI Central region with sparse crops

Table 3.77 Country’s agroclimatic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departure from 15YA, April – July 2020

Table 3.78 Country’s agronomic indicators by sub-national regions, current season’s values and departure from 5YA, April – July 2020