During this monitoring period, maize and soybean are the main summer crops grown in Inner Mongolia.

CropWatch Agroclimatic Indicators (CWAIs) show that rainfall was slightly below average (-8%). TEMP and RADPAR were both above average (+0.3°C and +4%, respectively). Insufficient rainfall resulted in a lower-than-average potential BIOMSS estimate (-5%). The NDVI development graph indicates slightly above-average crop conditions during July and August, but conditions then dropped to below the 5YA in September and October. The spatial NDVI patterns show that 29.7% of the crops were below the 5YA, mainly distributed in northern Shanxi and central Inner Mongolia. The rest of the cropped areas showed a continuous deterioration from above average to below average over time, but in general with above average crop condition during peak growing season. The fraction of cropped arable land (CALF) reached 95% and VCIx was above average (0.93). On the whole, Inner Mongolia is expected to have close to average crop production.

Figure 4.8 Crop condition Inner Mongolia, July - October 2022

(a) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI      

(b) Spatial NDVI patterns compared to 5YA           (c) NDVI profiles

(d)rainfall profile

(e)temperature profile

(f) Maximum VCI

(g) Biomass departure