This reporting period covers mainly the fallow period following the harvest of the summer crops (late maize, soybean and rice). Wheat planting started in June. For the whole country, rainfall showed a 10% negative anomaly, TEMP was close to average, RADPAR and BIOMSS showed positive anomalies of +7% and +8%, respectively. CALF showed a 2% increment and maximum VCI value was at 0.88. Argentina generally benefitted from favorable conditions for crop production. 

For the whole country, rainfall profiles showed some temporal variability around the 15YA. Stronger negative anomalies were observed in June and July. The TEMP profile also showed variability, changing between positive and negative anomalies over the reporting period.

For the whole country, the crop condition development graph based on NDVI showed no anomalies during April and negative anomalies starting in May. The spatial distribution of NDVI profiles showed a mixed pattern. A more homogeneous pattern was observed in Center South Pampas, which showed positive anomalies starting at the end of April. North Pampas was dominated by two similar temporal profiles but with different absolute NDVI departure values, both with a decreasing NDVI departure tendency along the period. The dominating pattern, mainly concentrated in eastern Pampas (dark green) showed almost no anomaly during the monitoring period, while light green areas showed a quite stable pattern with negative anomalies near -0.1. Most areas in Argentina showed VCIx values higher than 0.8. Lower values were observed in South West and Center Pampas and in East Subtropical Highlands. 

Subregions

CropWatch subdivides Argentina into eight agro-ecological zones (AEZ) based on cropping systems, climatic zones, and topography; they are identified by numbers on the NDVI departure cluster map. During this monitoring period, most crops were grown in the following four agro-ecological zones: Chaco, Mesopotamia, Humid Pampas, and Subtropical Highlands. The other agro-ecological zones were less relevant for this period. 

Humid Pampas and Subtropical Highlands showed positive anomalies in RAIN (+2% and +18% respectively); while Chaco and Mesopotamia showed negative anomalies (-9% and -21%, respectively). TEMP showed no anomaly in Subtropical Highlands, positive anomaly in Humid Pampas (+0.2°C), and negative anomalies in Mesopotamia (-0.4°) and Chaco (-0.2°). RADPAR showed positive anomalies in Chaco (+13%), Mesopotamia (+11%) and Humid Pampas (+5%), and negative anomaly in Subtropical Highlands (-1%). BIOMSS showed positive anomalies in Chaco (+11%), Mesopotamia (+8%) and Humid Pampas (+10%), and negative anomaly in Subtropical Highlands (-3%). CALF was almost complete in Chaco (99%), Mesopotamia (100%) and Subtropical Highlands (99%), while the Humid Pampas showed a lower value (95%), but it was 3% higher than the five year average value. Maximum VCI showed general good conditions, with the highest value observed in Mesopotamia (0.92), followed by Subtropical Highlands (0.91), Chaco (0.90) and Humid Pampas (0.88).

Several differences in NDVI trends were observed among the regions. Pampas and Mesopotamia showed positive anomalies during April and nearly no anomalies during the rest of the reporting period. Chaco showed no anomalies up to June, and negative anomalies during July, while Subtropical Highlands showed negative anomalies since April.

Figure 3.7. Argentina´s crop condition, April-July 2021

a. Phenology of major crops

b. Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Argentina)

c. Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Chaco)

d. Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Pampas)

e. Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Mesopotamia)

f. Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Subtropical Highlands)

g. Time series rainfall profile (Argentina)

h. Time series temperature profile (Argentina)

i. Maximum VCI

j. Spatial distribution of NDVI profiles

k. Proportion of NDVI anomaly categories compared with 5YA

Table 3.5. Argentina’s agroclimatic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departure from 15YA, April–July 2021

Table 3.6. Argentina’s agronomic indicators by sub-national regions, current season’s values and departure from 15YA/5YA, April–July 2021