The South and Southeast Asia MPZ includes India, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam. This monitoring period covers the harvesting period of the rainy season crops (rice) as well as the planting of the dry season crops (rice, wheat, maize, and pulse crops) in the region.

According to the agroclimatic indicators, the accumulated precipitation was significantly above the average (ΔRAIN +23%), while the temperature and RADPAR were slightly above the average (ΔTEMP +0.7℃, ΔRADPAR +2%). Favorable agroclimatic conditions led to an increase in the potential biomass production (ΔBIOMSS +3%). More than 96% of arable land was cropped, which was close to the 5YA. The VCIx for the MPZ reached 0.86, indicating that the crops were growing well.

Throughout the entire monitoring period, the spatial distribution of rainfall profiles indicates that the precipitation for 70.8% of the MPZ (India, Nepal, southern Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, southern Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam) was close to the 15YA. The precipitation in 19% of the MPZ (eastern India, Bangladesh, southeastern Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and southern Vietnam) was close to the 15YA except for early October. Additionally, in 6.8% of the MPZ, specifically in southern India, precipitation levels exceeded the 15YA during early November, late November to early December, and early January, while precipitation approximated the average during the remaining periods. In around 3.3% of the MPZ (southern India, and Sri Lanka), the precipitation fluctuated between the mean and above-average levels. It is noteworthy that in the blue regions of the map, the precipitation in early November was significantly higher than the average.

Based on the spatial distribution of temperature profiles observed throughout the entire monitoring period, it was found that the average temperature in 3.1% of the MPZ, specifically in Nepal, was significantly above the 15YA. Moreover, the average temperature in 40.8% of the MPZ (India, southern Myanmar, southern Cambodia, and southern Vietnam) was slightly above the 15YA. In around 16.1% of the MPZ (Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam), the average temperature fluctuated around the average level. The average temperature in 10.6% of the MPZ, specifically in northern India, was below the 15YA during the monitoring period but slightly above the average in late December.

The BIOMASS departure map reveals that the potential biomass, mainly in southern India, exceeded the historical average for the same period by 20%. In contrast, the potential biomass in the northern regions of India was observed to be below the average level.  

The Maximum VCI shows that the index was below 0.5 in the southern and western parts of India, as well as in several dispersed areas. The VHI Minimum map shows that most of the MPZ was temporarily impacted by drought, except for western India, northern Myanmar, eastern Thailand, northern Vietnam, and some scattered regions. The CALF map demonstrates that most of the arable land in the MPZ was planted, whereas the uncultivated arable land was scattered mainly in southern and western India.

In summary, the crop conditions in the MPZ are expected to be favorable.

Figure 2.4 South and Southeast Asia MPZ: Agroclimatic and agronomic indicators, October 2023 to January 2024.

a.Spatial distribution of rainfall profiles  b.Profiles of rainfall departure from average (mm)

c.Spatial distribution of temperature profiles  d.Profiles of temperature departure from average (℃)

e.Cropped and uncropped arable land

f.Potential biomass departure from 5YA

g.Maximum VCI

h.VHI Minimum

Table 2.1 Agroclimatic indicators by Major Production Zone, current value and departure from 15YA(2024-1)

Table 2.2 Agronomic indicators by Major Production Zone, current season values and departure from 5YA(2024-1)