Over the reporting period, the nationwide crop condition, as illustrated by the NDVI development graph, was first below average until early December, close to average until the end of that month, and then very significantly below average. The period (October 2016-January 2017) covers the late stages of sugar beets (October harvest) and early vegetative stages of winter wheat and winter barley (planted in October). Cold and dry agroclimatic conditions prevailed, with indicators showing significant negative departures at the national level for rainfall and temperature (RAIN, -24% and TEMP, -1.4°C), and an 8% decrease in radiation (RADPAR). As a result, the biomass production potential BIOMSS dropped 11% nationwide compared to the five-year average.

As shown by the spatial NDVI profiles, values were below average from October to early November due to a lack of rainfall in the north, west, and south of Germany. Substantially drier-than-usual conditions in early October in western Germany hampered the sowing of winter crops. In mid-November, most parts of the country enjoyed favorable temperature and precipitation. This then developed into water stress from early November to January, with cold weather and heavy snow sweeping across the country in January. The spatial NDVI patterns also indicate that NDVI was below average from early December to January in 90% of arable land. This spatial pattern is also reflected by the maximum VCI, with a VCIx of 0.83 for Germany overall.

Generally, due to the cold temperature and water stress after early November, and the fact that NDVI plunged before the lasting snow set in in January, CropWatch assesses the current situation of most winter crop areas of Germany as unfavorable.

(a) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI              (b) Maximum VCI 

(c) Spatial NDVI patterns compared to 5YA                           (d) NDVI profiles