In Australia, the harvest of wheat and barley ended in January. The sowing of wheat will start in May. Therefore, the vegetation conditions reported here have limited relevance.

The proportion of irrigated cropland in Australia is only 9% and agro-meteorological conditions play a decisive role in the growth of more than 90% crops. In the current period, Australia had relatively wet weather with abundant rainfall (RAIN, +18%), which will be beneficial for the planting of wheat and barley in the next period. The temperature (TEMP +0) and radiation (RADPAR -2%) were both close to average. Above-average biomass accumulation potential (+10%) was expected. Additionally, CALF increased by 27% compared with the recent five-year average, while the maximum VCI was 0.90.

The conditions in the four main wheat production states were similar. They all received above-average rainfall (New South Wales, +64%; South Australia, +9%; Victoria, +36%; Western Australia, +11%). But only New South Wales (+24%) and Victoria (+36%) had positive biomass estimates.

The NDVI profile was generally close to the maximum levels observed over the past 5 years.

Regional analysis

This analysis adopts five agro-ecological zones (AEZs) for Australia, namely the Arid and Semi-arid Zone (marked as 18 in NDVI clustering map), Southeastern Wheat Zone (19), Subhumid Subtropical Zone (20), Southwestern Wheat Zone (21), Wet Temperate and Subtropical Zone (22). The Arid and Semi-arid Zone, in which hardly any crop production takes place, was not analyzed.

The three southeast AEZs, including Southeastern wheat zone, Sub-humid subtropical zone, and Wet temperate and subtropical zone, had similar departures of the agro-climatic indicators: abundant rainfall (+47%, +15%, +23%), average temperature (+0.1°C, -0.1°C, +0.3°C) and slightly less sunshine (-3%, -3%, -4%). Mainly due to the rainfall, biomass accumulation potential were favorable (+18%, +9%, +10%). The CALF in these three AEZs had increased (+37%, +43%, +4%) and maximum VCI were 0.84, 0.88 and 0.85, respectively. Conditions were favorable in these zones.

The departures from the 15YA of the agro-climatic indicator in the Southwestern Wheat Zone were relatively small. All indicators were slightly above average (RAIN +5; TEMP +0.2°C; RADPAR +2%; BIOMSS +5%, CALF +29%), while the maximum VCI was 1.06.

Overall, the agro-climatic indicators in the reporting period, especially rainfall, predict a favorable prospect for the coming wheat planting season in Australia.

Figure 3.8 Australia's crop condition, January - April 2022

(a). Phenology of major crops

(b) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI                                                              (c)  Maximum VCI

(d) Spatial NDVI patterns compared to 5YA                                                                                    (e) NDVI profiles

(f) Time series rainfall profile (left) and temperature profile (right))

(g) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Arid and semiarid zone (left) and Southeastern wheat area (right))

(h) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Subhumid subtropical zone (left) and Southwestern wheat area (right))

(i) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Wet temperate and subtropical zone)