This monitoring period covers the grain filling period of wheat. Its harvest concluded in July. Rice planting started in April. It will be harvested in August. 

According to the NDVI-based crop condition development graph, the crop conditions in Iran were above the 5YA from late April to early June, but slightly below average for the rest of the monitoring period. The cumulative rainfall was 124 mm, which was 31% above average. The average temperature was 21.6°C (0.1°C above average), whereas the photosynthetically active radiation was 1565 MJ/m2 (4% below average). The potential biomass was 3% higher than the 15-year average due to favorable rainfall. The national maximum vegetation condition index (VCIx) was 0.76, while the cropped arable land fraction (CALF) was 25% above average compared to the past 5 years. The national Crop Production Index (CPI) was 1.28. Overall, crop conditions were favorable.

The NDVI spatial patterns show that from April to July, crop conditions in 8.1% (marked in blue) and 22.6% (marked in light green) of the cropped areas both showed an improving trend before mid-May, after which they gradually returned to the average level. 19.7% (marked in red) and 33% (dark green) of the cropped areas had average crop conditions throughout the whole monitoring period. The orange marked regions (16.6% of the cropped areas), mainly located in some parts of Zanjan, Qazvin, Tehran, Qom, and Sistan and Baluchestan, experienced slightly below-average crop conditions at the beginning and then recovered gradually to around average at the end of the monitoring period. The spatial pattern of the maximum Vegetation Condition Index (VCIx) was in accord with the spatial distribution of the NDVI profiles. 

Regional Analysis 

Based on farming system, climate, and topographic conditions, Iran can be subdivided into three regions, two of which are the main production areas for crops, namely the Semi-arid to the subtropical hilly region in the west and the north (104) and the Coastal lowland and plain areas of the arid Red Sea (103).

In the Semi-arid to the subtropical hilly region in the west and the north, the cumulative precipitation during the monitoring period was 139 mm, 26% above average; the temperature was 19.7°C (+0.1°C), and photosynthetically active radiation was 4% below average. The potential biomass was 9% higher than the average. The crop conditions profile showed similar patterns as the nation profile. The proportion of cultivated land was 44%, which is 27% higher than the 5YA average. The average VCIx and CPI for this region were 0.83 and 1.31, indicating favorable crop conditions.  

In the Coastal lowland and plain areas of the arid Red Sea, the temperature was 0.5°C above average, the accumulated precipitation was significantly above average (+146%), and the photosynthetically active radiation was slightly below average (-4%). The potential biomass was 3% above the 15-year average. Crop conditions were generally slightly below average to average compared with the 5YA average. During the monitoring period, CALF was 14% above the average of the last 5-years, indicating more land was cultivated. Regional VCIx and CPI were 0.52 and 1.05. All in all, crop conditions were average in this important wheat production region.

Figure 3.21 Iran's crop condition, April-July 2024

(a) Phenology of major crops

(b) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI

(c) Maximum VCI

(d) Rainfall time series profile

(e) Temperature time series profile

(f) Spatial NDVI patterns compared to 5YA                  (g) NDVI profiles

(h) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Semi-arid to sub-tropical hills of the west and north region)

(i) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Coastal lowland and plain areas of the arid Red Sea)

(j) Iran time series of Crop Production Index (CPI), April - July 2024

Table 3.33 Iran's agroclimatic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departure from 15YA, April-July 2024

Table 3.34 Iran's agronomic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's value and departure from 5YA, April-July 2024