In Ukraine during the reporting period both precipitation and temperature were below average (respectively -13% and -0.6°C), negatively affecting the biomass production potential (-12%). Across all the important agricultural regions similar departures from the average were recorded. In July and mid-August close to average precipitation prevailed, but throughout September a rainfall deficit persisted over most of the country. A precipitation surplus was recorded in the beginning of October, a period that was preceded and followed by dekads with temperature lower than the average.

At the national scale, NDVI indicated worsening crop conditions from July, being below the five-year average and similar to the last year’s values. Spatial NDVI patterns show that about 8% of the agricultural area in the country presented significantly below average NDVI from the beginning of the reporting period until the middle of September. This concerns mainly the western Ukraine (Ternopil and Khmelnytskyi oblasts) and the south and east (Donetsk Oblast). The VCIx values indicate crop conditions in the south and east (more pixels with VCIx <0.5) are worse than in the western part of the country. In central and northeastern parts, both NDVI and VCIx (>1.0) indicate good crop conditions.

The weather conditions may negatively affect spring cereals and maize production in non-irrigated areas in the south of the Ukraine.

(a) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI   

(b) Maximum VCI

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