The reporting period covers the main growing period of winter crops and the sowing of early maize and rice. Part of the period is a fallow period for the summer crops. The overall crop conditions in Argentina varied between regular and poor.

For the whole country, rainfall showed a 11% negative anomaly, TEMP showed a positive anomaly (+0.5°), RADPAR showed positive anomalies by +5%. Due to the shortage of rainfall, BIOMSS was negatively affected at 6% below 15YA. Rainfall profiles showed slightly negative anomalies during most of the period, except for a strong rain event at the beginning of September. Overall, weather conditions were variable.

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 are less relevant for this period. 

Except for the Subtropical Highlands that showed positive anomalies in RAIN (+31 %), negative anomalies were observed in Chaco (-20 %), Humid Pampas (-13 %) and Mesopotamia (-11 %). TEMP showed positive anomalies for the four AEZs: Humid Pampas (+0.6°), Chaco (+0.4°), Subtropical Highlands (+0.4°) and Mesopotamia (+0.3°). RADPAR showed positive anomalies in Humid Pampas (+6 %), Mesopotamia (+6 %) and Chaco (+5 %), while Subtropical Highlands showed negative anomaly (-1 %). Thanks to the sufficient rainfall in Subtropical Highlands, BIOMSS showed positive anomalies by +9%. In contrast, it was below 15YA for the other three AEZs: Humid Pampas (-7%), Mesopotamia (-9%), and Chaco (-8%) mainly due to the shortage of rainfall.

CALF was almost complete in Mesopotamia (98%). The other AEZs showed low CALF values: Subtropical Highlands (53 %), Humid Pampas (77%), the major winter crops growing region, and Chaco (80 %).  Cropping Intensity index showed positive anomaly in Humid Pampas (+5 %) and in Subtropical Highlands (+1 %). No anomalies were observed for Chaco and a slightly negative one for Mesopotamia (-2 %). Maximum VCI showed average conditions for Mesopotamia (0.81), and lower values for Humid Pampas (0.76), Chaco (0.67) and Subtropical Highlands (0.58).   

For the whole country, crop condition development graph based on NDVI showed negative anomalies during July and August. Starting in September, NDVI values were near the 5 year average and above the 2020 values for the same period. Several differences were observed among regions. Humid Pampas showed almost no anomalies during July and August, and positive anomalies starting in September. The peak NDVI in Humid Pampas was well above those of the 5YA and the 2020 winter crops growing season, reflecting an increase signal of winter crops. Chaco and Subtropical Highlands showed negative anomalies during almost the entire reporting period. NDVI in Mesopotamia remained at average levels during the whole period although sufficient rainfall provided favorable soil moisture conditions.

Spatial distribution of NDVI profiles showed some homogeneous patterns. Two profiles showed negative anomalies during the entire reporting period: the green profile showed stronger negative anomalies than the red profile. These profiles were located in North West Pampas, Subtropical Highlands and Chaco, as well as in a small region in Center East Pampas. Another homogeneous pattern showed slight negative anomalies during July and August and positive anomalies since September (blue profile) and was observed in Center and West Pampas. A pattern with high positive anomalies since August was observed in East Chaco (orange pattern). The dark green pattern, with slight positive anomalies, was sparsely scattered over the country.

Maximum VCI showed similar spatial patterns as the crop condition presented by the NDVI departure clusters. Below-average conditions (lower than 0.8) were mainly located in northern, northwest, and central Argentina. Poor conditions (lower than 0.5) were observed in North West Pampas and Subtropical highlands, where crops might have suffered from drought. On the contrary, quite good conditions were observed in parts of the South East Pampas.

In general, Argentina showed regular and poor conditions. Below-average crop conditions were found all along the reporting period in Chaco and Subtropical Highlands as well as in North West and West Pampas with low VCIx values.

Figure 3.7. Argentina´s crop condition, July 2021-October 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. Maximum VCI.

i. Spatial distribution of NDVI profiles.

j. 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, July 2021 – October 2021.

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