Nationwide agroclimatic indicators were close to average, with somewhat lower temperature (TEMP, -0.4°C) and slightly worse biomass accumulation (BIOMSS, -3%). Crop condition development, based on NDVI, was also near the average and slightly better than last year.

The central region presents positive prospects for biomass production (4%) due to a precipitation surplus (RAIN, +10%), even though in the end of the reporting period lower than usual temperature was recorded (-0.6°C in general).

The Volga and Southern Ural regions, also very important producers, experienced precipitation deficits (-11%) with moderate temperature excess, especially in the Ural area (0.5°C), which reduced biomass expectation in both regions (-9%). A BIOMSS reduction due to both low rain and low temperature affected the northern Caucasus, neighboring areas to the north, as well as an area near the Black Sea, with negative departures from average as large as 25%.

Spatial NDVI profiles, confirmed by maximum VCIx <0.8, show that from June onward crop condition for about 9% of the total area was worse than the five-year average. This applies to the southwest and Volga regions toward the Urals and may result in below average expectation both for cereals harvested in August and summer crops.

Overall crop production in Russia is foreseen to be close to average levels and early development of winter crops presents better perspectives than last year.

(a) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI   

(b) Maximum VCI

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