This current monitoring period covers the first half of the growing season of main crops in the Northeast of China (April to July 2024). The major crops are spring wheat, maize and soybean. CropWatch Agroclimatic Indicators (CWAIs) show that the precipitation greatly deviated from the average level. The total precipitation increased by 31%. It fluctuated around the average level from May to July, buy in late July, it was three times greater than the 15YA. The photosynthetically active radiation was above the average (ΔRADPAR +3%), and the temperature also was above average (TEMP +0.5℃). This resulted in a potential biomass estimate that was 3% above the fifteen-year average level. However, the high precipitation also resulted in flooding of low lying lands near rivers, causing below average conditions in affected areas.

The crop conditions during the monitoring period were below average before July and recovered to average levels by the end of July. Meanwhile, great spatial variations existed in the region.  As shown by NDVI clusters and profiles, 27.6% of cropland experienced a steady decline until late-June and then increased to average levels. About 6.4% of cropland presented below average conditions throughout the monitoring period. It was mainly located in eastern Heilongjiang province, indicating that crops in this area were in relatively poor condition expecially in late-July. Most parts of the Northeast of China were below average from April to June due to the low temperatures, especially in May. Although the high rainfall resulted in flooding at some areas, it also benefitted the crops in general.

The maximum VCI shows that all provinces of the Northeast of China were above 0.80, except for a small part of Heilongjiang province due to short-duration heavy rainfall and flooding event. Flooding that occurred in late-July and early August negatively affected crops locally in Suihua, Nenjiang and Tongjiang in Heilongjiang province. And the heavy rainfall in mid-to-early August in Liaoning province also led to flooding disasters in some areas, which had a negative impact on crops.

All in all, crop development until June was below average but recovered to average levels in July. Prospects for crop production are average.

Figure 4.8 Crop condition China Northeast region, April - July 2024

（a）Crop condition development graph based on NDVI

（b）Spatial distribution of NDVI profiles

（c）Time series rainfall pofile

（d） Time series temperature pofile

（e） Potential biomass departure from 5YA

（f）Maximum VCI

（g）Photos of the scene of flooding in Northeast China in July and August 2024