Summer crops reached maturity in September and October. At the same time, the sowing of winter wheat had started. According to the crop condition development graph, crops experienced unfavorable conditions. NDVI values were below average in the monitoring period. Agro-climatic indicators show that rainfall was below average (RAIN, -22%), while the temperature and radiation were significantly above average (TEMP +1.4℃, RADPAR +9%). The seasonal RAIN profile shows that the rainfall was below average until early September. The temperature was above or close to the 15YA. The below-average rainfall caused a below-average BIOMSS (-8%).

The national average VCIx was 0.80. It was lower than during the corresponding period in 2021. Crop production index was 0.9, slightly below average. CALF (100%) was unchanged compared to its five-year average. The NDVI departure cluster profiles indicate that: (1) 24.8% of arable land experienced average crop conditions, scattered over the whole UK. (2) 24.3% of arable land experienced below-average crop conditions, mainly in the south of the UK. （3）The other areas experienced fluctuating crop conditions. The marked drop in September and October in some areas can be attributed to cloud cover in the satellite images or foggy conditions. Altogether, the conditions in the UK are assessed as below-average.

Regional analysis

Based on cropping systems, climatic zones, and topographic conditions, three sub-national regions are described below: Northern barley region （84）, Central sparse crop region （83） and Southern mixed wheat and barley region （85）. All three sub-regions are characterized by an unchanged fraction of arable land (CALF) compared to the 5YA.

In the northern barley region, NDVI was below average. Rainfall was below average (RAIN -16%), while temperature (TEMP +0.9℃)  and radiation (RADPAR +3%) were above average. Estimated biomass was near average.  This region is cultivated with a mixture of single and double cropping systems, and the CI (-1%)  was slightly below average, while the VCIx was at 0.91. Crop production index was 1.1. Conditions were near average.

The Central sparse crop region is one of the country's major agricultural regions for crop production.  The crop condition development graph based on NDVI was similar to the northern barley region. Rainfall was significantly below average (RAIN -26%), temperature (TEMP +1.3℃) and radiation (RADPAR +9%) were above average. The unfavourable crop conditions and below-average rainfall resulted in below-average biomass（BIOMSS -9%). This region is cultivated with a mixture of single and double cropping systems, and the CI was below average (-5%), while the VCIx was at 0.88. Crop production index was 1.0. Overall, the situation was below average.

In the Southern mixed wheat and barley zone, NDVI was also below average. This region experienced the largest rainfall deficit (RAIN -28%), whereas temperature (TEMP +1.8°C) and radiation (RADPAR +13%) were significantly above average. The below-average rainfall resulted in the markedly below-average biomass (BIOMSS -15%). This region is cultivated with a mixture of single and double cropping systems, and the CI was close to average, while the VCIx was at 0.75. Crop production index was 0.9. Overall, the conditions were below average.

Figure 3.18 United Kingdom crop condition, July‐October 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 (Northern Barley region (left) and Central sparse crop region  (right))

(h) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Southern mixed wheat and Barley zone)

Table 3.28 United Kingdom's agro-climatic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departure from 15YA, July ‐October 2022

Table 3.29 United Kingdom's  agronomic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departures from 5YA, July ‐October 2022