During the monitoring period, Mexico's primary crops included maize, rice and soybeans. Maize (except in the northwest) and soybean planting started in April. These crops reached maturity around September to November, depending on the local weather conditions, which are very diverse within the country.  Rice was planted in May and was harvested in November. In the Northwest, planting of irrigated maize started in October. However, low water levels in the reservoirs may cause a reduction in area planted.

Agro-climatic conditions showed that RAIN decreased by 0.4%, TEMP increased by 0.7°C, RADPAR decreased by 1%, and BIOMSS decreased by 9%. CALF increased by 3%, cropping intensity increased by 11%. The distribution of rainfall followed the long-term average rather closely.

The NDVI-based crop condition development graph indicated that overall, crop growth was similar to last year. Compared with the 5YA and the 5Y maximum, the NDVI value in 2024 was lower than the average in most months. The VCIx and CPI for Mexico, recorded at 0.79 and 1.07 indicating that crop growth was generally favorable during the monitoring period. Based on the spatial NDVI patterns compared to the 5YA, only 14.4% of croplands had above-average crop growth throughout the monitoring period, mainly in the eastern part of Tamaulipas and Veracruz. About 52.4% of croplands had below-average crop growth, mainly in northern and southeastern Mexico. The Valle de Chalco region of Mexico State in central Mexico was hit by floods in August. Heavy rain and poor drainage systems led to long-term flooding, affecting local crops. The main impacts included reduced yields and quality of crops such as maize and beans.

Conditions were drier than usual until June. Average rainfall during this monitoring helped improved conditions to average in most regions of Mexico, as shown in the NDVI development graphs.

Regional analysis

Based on cropping systems, climatic zones and topographic conditions, Mexico is divided into four agro-ecological regions. They include the Arid and semi-arid region (128), Humid tropics with summer rainfall (129), Sub-humid temperate region with summer rains (130) and Sub-humid hot tropics with summer rains (131). Regional analyses of crop conditions provide more details for the production situation in Mexico.

The arid and semi-arid regions of northern and central Mexico, which accounted for almost half of the country's cultivated land, experienced fluctuations in RAIN. The RAIN decreased by 47% to 372 mm. TEMP was about 23.8°C (+1.1°C). PADPAR was 1327 MJ/m². BIOMSS decreased by 22% to 816 gDM/m². CALF was 78% (+7%) and VCIx was 0.84. According to the NDVI-based crop condition graphs, crop conditions have remained around average during this period, but dropped sharply in October.

The RAIN pattern in the Humid tropics with summer rainfall was different. The RAIN rose by 18% to 1519 mm. The RAIN in late August and early September was 40% above the average RAIN of the past 15 years. TEMP rose by 0.3°C to about 25.2°C, and RADPAR was 1260 MJ/m². BIOMSS rose by 8% to 1563 gDM/m². VCIx was 0.94, indicating that the region's crop growing conditions were relatively good compared to other regions. According to the NDVI-based crop condition graphs, the growing conditions in July were close to but slightly below average.

The Sub-humid temperate region with summer rains in central Mexico had its own climatic characteristics. The RAIN was 1293 mm, it rose by 8%. Compared to the same period of last year, the RAIN from mid- to late September increased by about 90%, TEMP increased to about 19.4°C, and RADPAR decreased by 4% to 1187MJ/m². BIOMSS remained relatively stable at 1178 gDM/m². CALF was relatively stable at about 99%, and VCIx was 0.97. According to the NDVI-based crop condition graphs, the crop growth situation was at a relatively high level throughout this period.

In the Sub-humid hot tropics with summer rains in southern Mexico, the RAIN rose by 12% to 1375 mm. TEMP increased to about 23.0°C and RADPAR decreased slightly to 1206MJ/m². BIOMSS showed some fluctuations, dropping by 2%. CALF remained stable at about 96% with a VCIx of 0.94. Crop growth conditions were slightly below average according to the NDVI-based crop condition graphs.

Mexico's crop condition, July - October 2024

(a) Phenology of major crops
(b) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI	(c) Maximum VCI
(d) Spatial NDVI patterns compared to 5YA	(e) NDVI departure profiles
(f) Rainfall profiles	(g) Temperature profiles
(h) National CPI time series graph
(i) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI(left:Arid and semi-arid regions, right:Humid tropics with summer rainfall)
(j) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI(left:Sub-humid temperate region with summer rains, right:Sub-humid hot tropics with summer rains)

Table 3.1 Mexico's agro-climatic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departure from 15YA, July‐October 2024

Table 3.2 Mexico's  agronomic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departures from 5YA, July‐October 2024