During the current monitoringperiod, most parts of the Central Europe to Western Russia MPZ presentedfavorable conditions of winter and summer crop (average VCIx=0.94). Theagroclimatic indicators showed favorable condition for crop growing, with an11% increase of rainfall and a slight 0.1°C increase of temperature comparedwith the average, while RADPAR was slightly below average by 1%.

As indicated by therainfall profile analysis, the west and south of Russia and northeasternUkraine received well above average rainfall since February, with significantrainfall peaks in May. Most regions of the MPZ presented average or belowaverage moisture conditions from June except the southwestern part, includingRomania and most parts of south Ukraine. Temperature profiles showed correlatedvariations among most countries of the MPZ. The whole region experienced hightemperatures in February (as much as 7°C above average in the east part inRussia). However, temperature dropped to average from April, with more than 5°Cbelow average in across Poland in mid-April.

Almost all of thearable land was actually cropped during the reporting period. Due to thefavorable moisture condition in the southeastern part of the MPZ, theaccumulated potential biomass (BIOMSS) is much above the five-year average(>20%), and many pixels’ maximum VCI value were greater than 1 in thisregion; correspondingly, the BIOMSS of the whole MPZ shows a significantincrease of 12%.

Figure 2.6. Central Europe-Western Russia MPZ:Agroclimatic and agronomic indicators,April-July 2016