Maize and wheat are two major crops grown in the Ukraine. During this monitoring period (January to April 2021), only winter wheat and canola were growing in the field. Maize will be planted in May. 

As shown by the national agroclimatic indicators, rainfall was above average (270 mm, +13%) however temperature (0.6℃, -0.9℃) and radiation (484 MJ/m2, -9%) were lower than the 15-year average. Mainly due to low temperatures and lack of sunshine, spring green-up was slow. The potential biomass is estimated to be 8% below the 15-year average. Cropped arable land fraction (CALF 69%) had declined by 14% and maximum VCI reached 0.81 only. According to the crop condition development curve for the whole country, NDVI was far below the 5-year average at the beginning of this period. This was mainly due to snow cover.  NDVI gradually improved over time and almost reached the 5-year average.  Crop development was slower in the northern and eastern Ukraine (47.9% of total cropland) and parts of the central and western Ukraine (23.1% of total area). In line with the NDVI spatial patterns, VCIx for a large area of the east was less than 0.5, and between 0.5-0.8 in the west. 

Wheat planting got off to a late start last fall and the below-average temperatures in the spring caused a slow development of wheat. However, soil moisture conditions are favorable and crop conditions can be assessed as normal. 

Regional analysis

Regional analyses are provided for four agroecological zones (AEZ) defined by their cropping systems, climatic zones and topographic conditions. They are referred to as Central wheat area (184) with the Poltava, Cherkasy, Dnipropetrovsk and Kirovohrad Oblasts; Northern wheat area (186) with Rivne, Eastern Carpathian hills (185) with Lviv, Zakarpattiaand Ivano-Frankivsk oblasts and Southern wheat and maize area (187) with Mykolaiv, Kherson and Zaporizhia oblasts.

During this monitoring period, all four AEZs shared generally similar  patterns in agroclimatic/ agronomic conditions and crop development curves. Rainfall was 11 to 19% higher than 15-year average from Southern wheat and maize area to Eastern Carpathian hills, temperatures were cooler by 0.5 to 1.2 ℃ and radiation decreased by 6 to 10%. Similar to the national level, potential biomass in all four AEZs was estimated at 3 to 13% below the 15YA. Cropped area (CALF) in this season was 14 to 15% below average and VCIx values were around 0.77 to 0.85. These are rather low values for the Ukraine. However, conditions gradually improved, aided by abundant rainfall. 

Ukraine's crop condition,  January - April 2021

(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) Time series rainfall profile

(g) Time series temperature profile

(h) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Central wheat area)

(i) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Eastern Carpathian hills)

(j) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Northern wheat area)

(k) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Southern wheat and maize area)

Ukraine agro-climatic indicators by sub‐national regions, current season's values and departure from 15YA,  January - April 2021

Ukraine agronomic indicators by sub‐national regions, current season's valuesand departure from 5YA, January - April 2021