The reporting period covers the harvest of wheat, as well as the planting and main growth period of early maize, early soybean and rice. The planting of late maize and late soybean started in January.

Spatial distribution of rainfall profiles showed near-average conditions for most of Argentina. The northern part of the MPZ in Brazil was dominated by a pattern with negative anomalies since November (blue areas). Negative anomalies, but in a lower magnitude were observed in Parana and Sao Paulo in Brazil (dark green areas). Southern Brazil, part of Paraguay and Mesopotamia in Argentina showed an alternating pattern with negative (in October and late December) and positive anomalies (in early December and January). 

Temperature profiles for South and Center Argentina showed an alternating pattern with positive and negative anomalies during the reporting period, with the strongest negative anomalies in early and late October and January and positive anomalies in mid-October and November. South Brazil, Paraguay and Mesopotamia showed a near-average profile with slight positive anomalies in October, November and December and negative anomalies in early November and early December. The northeast of the MPZ showed again an alternating pattern of positive and negative anomalies with a strong positive peak at the beginning. North and Center West of the MPZ in Brazil showed positive anomalies in most of the period with peaks in October, December and January.

BIOMSS showed positive anomalies in North West of the MPZ, and most of Argentine Pampas and Chaco. Negative anomalies dominated the patterns in North East of the MPZ and South Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, as well as Subtropical highlands and Mesopotamia in Argentina.

Maximum VCI showed high values for Brazil (more than 0.8). South Brazil and Paraguay showed a similar pattern, but with scattered areas with VCIx values lower than 0.8. Argentina showed a mixed pattern along the main agricultural areas with high and low VCIx values. Areas with lower values were observed in South Mesopotamia, Chaco and North and West Pampas.  

Crop Arable Land Fraction was complete in Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay. In Argentina, despite most of the area being cropped, some areas remained uncropped in West Pampas, Chaco and Subtropical highlands.

In general, the MPZ showed regular to good conditions in most of the indices, with some exceptions: strong positive anomalies in temperature in North of the MPZ, negative anomalies for BIOMSS in the North West of the MPZ and South Brazil.  In Argentina, some areas showed low VCIx and some areas remained uncropped.

Figure 2.3 South America MPZ: Agroclimatic and agronomic indicators, October 2020 to January 2021

a. Spatial distribution of rainfall profiles b. Profiles of rainfall departure from average (mm)

c. Spatial distribution of temperature profiles d. Profiles of temperature departure from average (°C)

e. Maximum VCI

f. Biomass accumulation potential departure

g. Cropped arable land

Note: For more information about the indicators, see Annex B.