This report covers the full cycle of Boro rice and wheat, both of which are irrigated. The sowing of Aus rice is from March to May. The winter months were drier than usual. Rainfall was 16% below average during this reporting period. Both temperature and sunshine were above the 15YA (TEMP +0.2°C, RADPAR +1%). BIOMSS was slightly above average (+1%). Below average rainfall and continuous high temperatures in February were unfavorable for crop growth.  Conditions gradually recovered in March. However, extreme heat events in April affected the sowing of Aus rice, as the national NDVI development curve showed. The nationwide NDVI spatial pattern shows that all crops in Bangladesh showed positive performance at the end of March due to the increased rainfall but also had sharp drop in April due to the extreme heat events. Only 25% of the cultivated area was close to the 5YA, mainly distributed in the Coastal region, and the rest was below the 5YA in April. The maximum Vegetation Condition Index (VCIx) map shows that the conditions for the winter crops were favorable, with most areas showing values higher than 0.8. CALF is close to the 5YA (96%) and VCIx is 94 in Bangladesh. CPI is 1.18. Overall, crop conditions in the country were close to average.

Regional analysis

Bangladesh can be divided into four Agro-Ecological Zones (AEZ): the Coastal region (23), the Gangetic plain (24), the Hills (25), and the Sylhet basin (26).

In the Coastal region, RAIN was below average (-25%), while TEMP was slightly above average (+0.1°C). RADPAR was close to the 15YA. The rainfall deficit had a limited effect on the irrigated rice and wheat production, BIOMASS was increased by about 2%. The crop condition development graph based on NDVI showed that crop conditions returned to the 5-year average in March and April. CALF was at 89% and VCIx at 0.97. They indicated average conditions in this region.

The Gangetic plains also experienced a slight drop in rainfall (-5%). Both TEMP and RADPAR were above the 15YA (+0.3°C, +1%). BIOMASS was also above the average (+3%). The crop condition development graph based on NDVI shows that crop conditions were below the 5-year average during the whole monitoring period except for the end of March due to the increased rainfall. CALF (97%), VCIx at 0.91 and CPI (1.07)  indicated average prospects.

The Hills experienced a large drop in rainfall (-66%). But the TEMP and RADPAR were above average (+0.2°C and +2%, respectively). The crop condition development graph based on NDVI shows that crop conditions were above the 5YA at the beginning of the monitoring period, and then returned to the average at the end of March and April. BIOMSS was below average (-14%) with scarce precipitation, CALF was 96%, VCIx was 0.87 and CPI was 1.10, indicating crop conditions were close to average.

In the Sylhet Basin, RAIN was slightly below average (-2%), while both TEMP (+0.1°C) and RADPAR (+2%) were above the 15YA. The crop condition development graph based on NDVI shows that crop conditions were below average except at the end of March. BIOMSS increased by 5%, with favorable VCIx (0.97) and CALF (98%) and CPI (1.18), indicating average crop conditions.

Figure 3.9 Bangladesh’s crop condition, January -April 2023.

(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, January-April 2023

Table 3.10 Bangladesh’s agronomic indicators by sub-national regions, current season’s values and departure from 5YA, January-April 2023