Argentina

The reporting period covers the harvesting of late summer crops (soybean, maize  and rice), and the sowing of wheat. The period is mainly a fallow period, before sowing of the summer crops starts in September. 

CropWatch subdivides Argentina into eight agro-ecological zones (AEZ) based on cropping systems, climatic zones, and topography; they are identified by numbers on the NDVI departure cluster map. During this monitoring period, most crops were grown in the following four AEZs: Chaco (11), Mesopotamia (12), Humid Pampas (13), and Subtropical Highlands (17). The other agro-ecological zones were less relevant for this period. Maize and soybean are planted in all these AEZs, while rice is planted in North Mesopotamia and East Chaco. Wheat is planted in Center, South and East Pampas, South Mesopotamia, Chaco, and East Subtropical Highlands. Crop conditions in Argentina showed high variability among subregions, with some areas having good conditions and others experiencing poor conditions for crop growth. Additionally, a deterioration in conditions was observed at the end of the reporting period, probably due to the prolonged period with low precipitation. Overall, conditions were rather favorable soybean sown after wheat and late sown crops in general  due to the above average rainfall in April. They reached maturity in May.

For the whole country, agroclimatic indices showed a reduction in BIOMSS (-14%), moderate conditions for VCIx, a slight increase in CALF (+1%), and a higher than average CPI (1.03). At this level of analysis, no relevant anomalies were observed in climatic indices: RAIN (+2%), TEMP (-0.6°) and RADPAR (-7%).

NDVI time series for the whole country showed some variability, with positive anomalies in May and negative anomalies in July, which is already in the off-season for most cropping regions. Differences were observed when considering the different AEZs. Subtropical Highlands showed negative anomalies during April and beginning May. Pampas, Chaco and Mesopotamia showed negative anomalies during July, but Pampas also showed negative and positive anomalies during May, Chaco showed positive anomalies in May and June and Mesopotamia showed positive anomalies in April, May and June. Negative anomalies in NDVI can be related to low precipitation records observed in May, June and July. TEMP showed high variability with strong positive and negative anomalies from May to July, which also affected crop growth and development.

The spatial distribution of NDVI profiles identified five different profiles. As expected from national level situation, several profiles showed NDVI reductions at the end of July, probably associated with the conclusion of the harvest of summer crops as well as the persistence of low precipitation from May to July. Better conditions were observed in the orange profile, with slight positive anomalies during most of the reporting period. It was observed in Center East and North East Pampas, as well as in South East Chaco. A profile that varied from positive anomalies at the beginning of the reporting period to negative anomalies at the end (blue profile) was observed in North East and Center West Pampas and South Mesopotamia. A profile with almost no anomalies during the entire reporting period (red profile) was observed in South and West Pampas, North and South Mesopotamia, Subtropical Highlands and East Chaco. A profile with negative anomalies at the beginning of the reporting period, and nearly no anomalies during July (light green profile) was observed in South and North West Pampas, East Chaco and Subtropical Highlands. Finally, a profile with no anomaly at the beginning of the reporting period and negative anomalies at the end (dark green profile) was observed in South East Pampas and West Subtropical Highlands.

Maximum VCI map showed high spatial variabilit. Best conditions (values higher than 1) were observed in North East and Center East Pampas, East Chaco and Mesopotamia. Worst conditions (values lower than 0.5) were observed in South and Center Pampas, North East Subtropical Highlands and North West Chaco.

Considering main AEZs, Pampas showed a higher than average CALF (2%), while the other AEZs showed no anomalies. VCIx showed moderate conditions in the four AEZs, with the highest values in Mesopotamia (0.95), followed by Chaco (0.91), Humid Pampas (0.87) and Subtropical Highlands (0.87). BIOMSS showed no anomalies in Mesopotamia, slight negative anomalies in Chaco (-3%) and moderate negative anomalies in Subtropical Highlands (-14%) and Humid Pampas (-19%). CPI values for the current year were higher than average in Humid Pampas and Mesopotamia (1.05) and lower than average in Chaco and Subtropical Highlands (0.96). Differences in BIOMSS and VCIx reflected the differences observed in RAIN, where negative anomalies were observed in the AEZs with negative anomalies in BIOMSS and lower VCIx values: Subtropical Highlands (-30%) and Humid Pampas (-17 %). Mesopotamia and Chaco showed positive anomalies in RAIN of +14 and +17%, respectively. TEMP showed no anomalies in Mesopotamia and slight negative anomalies in Humid Pampas (-0.9°), Subtropical Highlands (-0.3°) and Chaco (-0.3°).  RADPAR showed negative anomalies in the four AEZs: Mesopotamia (-13%), Chaco (-9%), Humid Pampas (-6%) and Subtropical Highlands (-3%).

In summary, variability in several indices was observed among regions. Lower VCIx and BIOMSS values where observed in Humid Pampas and Subtropical Highlands, which also showed negative anomalies in precipitation. In particular, the lowest VCIx values were observed in South Pampas, Subtropical Highlands and West Chaco, areas that also showed negative anomalies in NDVI. Best conditions were observed in North East and Center East Pampas, East Chaco and Mesopotamia, where high VCIx values and positive anomalies in NDVI were observed. It is also relevant to mention that reductions in NDVI were observed at the end of the reporting period, related to the complection of summer crop harvest as well as low precipitation records detected since May. These conditions could delay the sowing or affect the establishment of wheat crops.

Table 3.5. Argentina’s agronomic indicators by sub‐national regions, current season's values and departure from 5YA, April – July 2024.

Table 3.6. Argentina’s agroclimatic indicators by sub‐national regions, current season's values and departure from 15YA, April – July 2024.

Figure 3.7 Argentina 's crop condition April - July 2024

a) Phenology of major crops

b). Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Argentina)

c). Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Humid Pampas)

d) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Mesopotamia)

e) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Chaco)

f) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Subtropical Highlands)

g) Time series temperature pofile

h) Time series rainfall pofile

i) Spatial distribution of NDVI profiles

j) Maximum VCI