Generally, crop condition in Brazil was slightly above the average of the previous five years. Harvest of winter wheat was concluded by the end of 2016. The planting of first maize as well as soybean are almost completed by January, while sowing of the second maize is just starting. Overall agro-climatic conditions were "normal" at the national level, with RAIN at 5% above average, TEMP at -0.4°C below, RADPAR 2% above, and BIOMSS 2% below average. As a result of the size of the country, however, agro-climatic conditions vary a lot from state to state. Sufficient rainfall was recorded in the major wheat producing states, as well as in the soybeans and maize producers, especially Rio Grande do Sul (+30% rainfall compared with average). Well below average rainfall occurred in the Nordeste, including Rio Grande do Norte (RAIN, -33%), Paraiba (-49%), Pernambuco (-64%), and Sergipe (-76%). In the states of Mato Grosso do Sul and Mato Grosso, 6% above average rainfall will benefit soybean fields, as well as the second maize to be planted in the coming season. Temperature and radiation were close to average in almost all states. 

Agronomic indicators consistently show slightly above average crop condition. According to the NDVI-based crop condition development graph, national NDVI was slightly above average and the previous year but decreased to below average by the end of January. The maximum VCI map presents overall favorable condition with the only exception in the Nordeste where VCIx was below 0.5 due to drought. Spatial NDVI patterns and the corresponding NDVI departure profiles also confirm that continuously below average NDVI during the monitoring period mainly occurred in the Nordeste. Above average NDVI mostly occurs in central and southern Brazil and coincides with high VCIx areas. Altogether, CropWatch revised the wheat production to 7,747 ktons, 10% up from the previous harvest season (table B.3 in Annex B).