Winter wheat is the main crop that is grown in Romania during this reporting period. It was sown last October. The proportion of irrigated cropland in Romania is only 4% and agro-meteorological conditions play a decisive role in the growth of most crops. At the national level, rainfall was 31% below average, down to 179 mm; average temperature was 0.3℃ lower and radiation 5% above average. The influence of low rainfall should be noted, as the water supply is vital for wheat growth. Due to the low rainfall, biomass decreased by 16%. The CALF of Romania decreased by 15% and the current maximum VCI is at 0.76, which is unfavorable for production. According to the NDVI at the country level, crop conditions were lower than average during the reporting period, which was consistent with the low rainfall.

Overall, crop conditions were not optimal in Romania during this reporting period. Winter wheat already suffered from drier-than-normal conditions between October and January. Rainfall in the coming months will be critical for sustained crop growth. Currently, the outlook for the 2022 wheat harvest in Romania is unfavorable.

Regional analysis

More spatial detail is provided below for three main agro‐ecological zones: the Central mixed farming and pasture Carpathian hills, the Eastern and southern maize, wheat and sugar beet plains and the Western and central maize, wheat and sugar beet plateau.

For the Central mixed farming and pasture Carpathian hills, compared to the 15YA, rainfall decreased by as much as 25%, temperature was 0.4 ℃ lower and radiation was 4% up. The BIOMSS decreased by 11%. According to the NDVI development graph, crop conditions were below average almost throughout  the entire reporting period. The regional average VCI maximum was 0.82. Since this agro‐ecological zone occupies only a small fraction of cropland in Romania, its low NDVI is not significant for Romania's crop production.

For the Eastern and Southern maize, wheat and sugar beet plains, as compared to the 15YA, rainfall decreased by 42%, temperature increased by 0.3 ℃, radiation increased by 6% and biomass decreased by 20%, which is the largest decrease among the three sub regions. The NDVI development graph shows that crop conditions dropped to below average after February. The VCI max value of this region was 0.73 and according to the distribution map, the blue and red line shows that VCI values were decreasing in March in most of the central and middle region, especially in the southeast area of this sub-region (counties of Tulcea and Constanta), representing about 14.3% of the national cropland. They indicate unfavorable crop conditions.

For the Western and central maize, wheat and sugar beet plateau, rainfall was lower than average by 21%, temperature was lower by 1.1 ℃, radiation was 3% higher and the biomass decreased by 11%.  Maximum VCI of this region was 0.81.  NDVI dropped below the 5YA starting in early March, but climbed to near average levels by the end of this monitoring period. Crop conditions were slightly unfavorable.

Figure 3.37 Romania’s crop condition, January - April 2022

(a). Phenology of major crops

图.X Crop condition development graph based on NDVI

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

(d) Spatial distribution of NDVI profiles                                  (e) NDVI profiles

(f) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Central mixed farming and pasture Carpathian hills (left) and Eastern and southern maize, wheat and sugar beet plains (right))

(g) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Western and central maize, wheat and sugar beet plateau)

(h) Rainfall index                                                                       (i) Temperature index

Table 3.65 Romania's agroclimatic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departure from 15YA, January – April 2022

Table 3.66 Romania’s agronomic indicators by sub-national regions, current season’s values and departure from 5YA, January – April 2022