The condition of crops was generally below average in Iran from April to July 2016. Winter wheat was harvested from June to July, and summer crops were planted starting in May. Accumulated rainfall (RAIN, -23%) was far below average, while temperature (TEMP, -0.5°C) and radiation (RADPAR, -1%) were only slightly below average. The agroclimatic indices show a decrease of the BIOMSS index by 9%. The national average of the VCIx (0.88) was above average, though. During the whole monitoring period, crop condition above the five-year average occurred in Kermanshah, Llam and surrounding provinces of the western region, and the Mazandaran and Gilan provinces of the central-north region. Khuzestan and Fars provinces in the southwest region, as well as most of the northwest and eastern regions, generally experienced unfavorable crop condition from May to July.

Overall, in spite of generally poor environmental conditions the total production of summer crops is expected to be favorable due to a spectacular 26% increase of cropped land land over the average of the previous five years.

Figure 3.17. Iran cropcondition, April - July 2016

(a) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI

(b) Maximum VCI

(c) Spatial NDVI patterns compared to 5YA

(d) NDVI profiles