By October, late rice was maturing in Southern China. The average VCIx of the Southern China region during the monitoring period was 0.94. According to the regional NDVI profile, crop conditions were generally below the 5-year average, but reached close to average levels in September and early October during the peak season of late rice.

On average, rainfall reached 1183 mm, which was 3% lower than the average. Provincial departures were as follows: +12% in Yunnan, +1% in Guangxi, -22% in Guangdong, and -11% in Fujian. The average temperature during the monitoring period in Southern China was 23.0°C, which was above average by 0.4°C. Radiation (RADPAR) exceeded the average by 7%. BIOMSS was 4% above average mainly due to the favourable weather conditions with high rainfall and sufficient radiation during the heading and grain filling stages of late rice。

As shown by NDVI clusters and profiles, 45.2% of cropland of Southern China did not have significant tendency of variation during the monitoring period. In August, almost all cropland presented negative NDVI departures. In early August, 16.6% of cropland in Eastern Guangxi and Western Guangdong fell to below average levels, but conditions improved subsequently. At the end of the monitoring period, only 8.3% of the cropland in southern Yunnan presented negative NDVI departures.

Overall, the crop conditions during the monitoring period were close to normal.

Figure 4.18 Crop condition Southern China region, July-October 2021

(a) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI

(b) Time series rainfall profile

(c) Time series temperature profile

(d) Maximum VCI

(e) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (f) NDVI profiles