The reporting period covers the growing and harvesting of the main wet season crops in the South and Southeast Asia MPZ. The MPZ experienced 3% above average rainfall (RAIN), but was nevertheless below average in India (-2%),Thailand (-10%), Vietnam (-10%) and Myanmar (-8%). According to the rainfall profiles the MPZ received below average rainfall during mid August and mid September while it received above average rainfall during early September and throughout October, as can be seen in figure 2.4. The temperature (TEMP) was average; the profiles show that below average temperatures were recorded in theIndian states of Orissa, West Bengal, Assam and Jharkhand as well as inBangladesh during the period of early September and October.

The maximum VCI values range from 0.8 to 1 indicating good cropcondition. However, VCIx ranged from 0.5 to 0.8 in southern and northern India,as well as in central Myanmar and Cambodia pointing at average crop conditionhere.

The fraction of cropped arable land was 84%. The uncropped lands weremostly distributed in central Myanmar and Indian states of Punjab, Gujarat,Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka. The average biomass accumulationpotential (BIOMSS) decreased 12% compared to the previous five-years average,resulting from low values in India (-12%), Thailand (-9%), Myanmar (-4%) andVietnam (-3%).

In more details, up to 20% negative biomass accumulation was observed insouthern and western India as well as in northern Thailand and Vietnam. Thelower VHIn values mostly concentrated in central India and some scattered lowrainfall areas. Altogether, the crop condition is average in this MPZ and doesnot raise major concerns. Figure 2.4 presents an overview of CropWatchagroclimatic and agronomic indicators.

Figure 2.4. South and SoutheastAsia MPZ: Agroclimatic and agronomic indicators, July-October 2015