Compared to the average of the last five years, Australia shows very favorable condition during this monitoring period, which was the main growing season for winter wheat and barley. The agroclimatic condition was about average (RAIN, -1.5%; TEMP, -0.5°C) except for a significant drop in sunshine (RADPAR, -7%). The spatial NDVI patterns show that in New South Wales, most of Victoria, South Australia, and Western Australia (together covering 84% of the arable land), winter wheat and barley conditions were above average throughout the reporting period with a maximum VCI in the range of 0.8 to 1.0 and above. Crop condition was slightly below average only in some parts of southern Victoria, southeastern South Australia, and southern and western West Australia (16% of the arable land). This analysis is consistent with the national crop condition development graphs that show that winter wheat and barley, on the whole, grew well in July, exceeding the five year maximum value in July and August and staying close to it in September and October.

With also an increase in CALF (13 percentage points), CropWatch estimates that the production of summer crops in Australia will increase by 25% (table B.4).

(a) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI   

(b) Maximum VCI

 (c) Spatial NDVI patterns compared to 5YA and the coresponding NDVI departure profiles