Winter wheat is the main crop that is grown in Romania during this reporting period. It was sown last October. Sowing of  maize and spring wheat started in April. During the reporting period, rainfall increased 13%, temperature increased 1.2℃, and solar radiation (RADPAR) decreased by 7%. The warm temperatures and increased rainfall helped increase the biomass by 7% above the 15YA. CALF increased by 4%, and the maximum VCI was 0.92. The NDVI temporal development shows that, except for early February, crop conditions were above the 5YA and close to the 5 year maximum. All in all, the conditions in Romania were above average.

Regional analysis

More spatial detail is provided below for the three main agro-ecological zones: the Central mixed farming and pasture Carpathian hills (165), the Eastern and southern maize, wheat and sugar beet plains  (166) and the Western and central maize, wheat and sugar beet plateau (167).

For the Central mixed farming and pasture Carpathian hills, compared to the 15YA, radiation decreased by 7%, rainfall increased by 15% and temperature increased 1.2℃. BIOMSS increased by 7%. According to the NDVI development graph, crop conditions were above average until March and subsequently stayed close to the average trend. The regional average maximum VCI was 0.92. Regional CALF was 99%, which was 3% higher than average. The NDVI spatial distribution shows that NDVI was good throughout the reporting period.  The CPI of this region is 1.19. 

For the Eastern and Southern maize, wheat and sugar beet plains, rainfall increased by 9%, temperature increased by 1.7℃, radiation decreased by 7% and biomass increased by 8% as compared to the 15YA. The NDVI development graph shows that crop conditions were below average starting in January and above average after February. Regional CALF was 94% and 5% lower than average. Maximum VCI value of this region was 0.92. VCI values were above 0.80 in the southeast area of this sub-region (counties of Tulcea and Constanta), representing about 14.3% of the national cropland. The CPI of this region is 1.15. All in all, crop conditions can be assessed as slightly above average.

For the Western and central maize, wheat and sugar beet plateau, radiation was lower than average by 6%, temperature was 0.6℃ higher and rainfall was 16% higher and biomass increased by 6%. Spatial NDVI profiles show that crop conditions were above average throughout the reporting period. Regional CALF was 99%, 2% higher than average. Maximum VCI of this region was 0.93, and the spatial distribution was above 1.0 in most of the areas. The CPI of this region is 1.18. Crop conditions can be assessed as favorable.

Figure3.38 Romania’s crop condition, January 2023 - April 2023

(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) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Central mixed farming and pasture Carpathian hills (left) and Eastern and southern maize, wheat and sugarbeet 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 3.68 Romania's agroclimatic indicators by sub-national regions, current season’s values and departure from 15YA, January 2023-April 2023

Table 3.69 Romania's agronomic indicators by sub-national regions, current season’s values and departure from 5YA, January 2023-April 2023