During the reporting period, the sowing of the main rice crop (Aman) started in May. Boro (winter) rice and wheat harvest ended in April. Aus rice harvest was mostly completed in July.   Rainfall was greatly below average (-17%), both TEMP (+0.2℃) and RADPAR (+5%) were higher than the 15YA. The proportion of irrigated cropland is 53% and regular rainfall is important for crop production. The potential biomass decreased by 1%. The national NDVI development graph shows that crop conditions across the country were lower than the 5-year average from April to June and then returned to the average and maximum levels in July. These drops in June might have been caused by cloud cover in the satellite images and flooding. The spatial NDVI pattern shows that 12.8% of the cultivated area in the Sylhet basin was below to average and had big drops in May and June due to the floods and returned to above-average levels in July. 14.4%, mainly located along the Coastal region, was slightly below average during this period. There was a sharp drop in July, but the conditions rapidly recovered to above-average by the end of this monitoring period.  The remaining crop areas were close to average except for 37.9% that showed a sharp decrease in June. The maximum Vegetation Condition Index (VCIx) was 0.92, with most areas higher than 0.8 and CALF was the same as the 5-year average (96%). The Crop Production Index (CPI) was 1.17. Overall, the crop conditions in most parts of Bangladesh were close to average.

Regional analysis

Bangladesh can be divided into four agro-ecological zones (AEZ): Coastal region, the Gangetic plain, the Hills, and the Sylhet basin.

In the Coastal region, rainfall was 27% below average. TEMP and RADPAR were above average (+0.1°C and +6%). The crop condition development graph based on NDVI shows that crop conditions were below the 5-year average from April to June and returned to above the 5YA in July. CALF was at 87% and VCIx at 0.89. BIOMSS was close to average. Conditions were near average and CPI was 1.20, confirming favorable agricultural production.

The Gangetic plains received the least precipitation amount of 914 mm (32% below average). Both TEMP and RADPAR was above average (+0.6°C and +7%). BIOMASS was slightly below average (-4%). The crop condition development graph based on NDVI shows crop conditions were below the 5-year average during the period except the end of July. CALF (97%) was the same as average. VCIx (0.92) and CPI (1.16) indicated average prospects. They indicated average conditions in this region.

In the Hills, both RAIN and TEMP were below average (-33% and -0.1°C, respectively) while RADPAR was above average (+5%). The crop condition started recovering from June and reached above-average levels at the end of the July, as shown by the NDVI development profiles. Estimated biomass production was average. CALF (96%) was 1% higher than average. VCIx (0.96) and CPI (1.21) indicated above-average crop prospects.

The Sylhet Basin experienced an increase in rainfall (+11%). TEMP was 0.1°C above average and RADPAR was 2% above. The crop condition development graph based on NDVI shows that crop conditions were below average for most of the reporting period and they increased to above average levels only at the end of July. The BIOMSS was slightly above average (1%). A high CALF at 98% and VCIx of 0.92 and CPI of 1.17 indicated favorable crop conditions.

Figure 3.9 Bangladesh’s crop condition, April - July 2022

(a). Phenology of major crops

(b) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI

(c)  Maximum VCI

(d) Time series rainfall profile

(e) Time series temperature profile

(f) Spatial NDVI patterns compared to 5YA       (g) NDVI profiles

(h) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (left) and rainfall profile (right) of Coastal region

(i) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (left) and rainfall profile (right) of Gangetic plain

(j)Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (left) and rainfall profile (right) of Hills

(k)Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (left) and rainfall profile (right) of Sylhet basin

Table 3.9 Bangladesh's agroclimatic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departure from 15YA, April - July 2022

Table 3. 10 Bangladesh's agronomic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departure from 5YA, April - July 2022