The monitoring period coincides with the growing and harvestingseasons of rabi (winter) crops, such as wheat, maize, sorghum, groundnuts,rapeseed, and rice. Temperature and radiation for the country overall wereabout average (TEMP, +0.2°C and RADPAR, +1%), but rainfall (RAIN) showed a 16%drop, and the biomass production potential (BIOMSS) is down 28% compared to itsfive-year average. Marked rainfall deficits occurred in Uttar Pradesh (RAIN,-52%), Bihar (-47%), Andhra Pradesh (-41%), and Karnataka (-39%), among others.National crop condition development was comparable to 2015-2016 and below theaverage of the previous five years. The maximum VCI index was low (VCIx<0.5)in the southern areas of Mysore and Madras. The NDVI profile values remainedfavorable for the entire country, exception for some areas in the southern partof the country (8.5% of croplands) and north (18.7%). With a favorable maximumvegetation condition index (0.83) and an increase in the fraction of croppedarable land (CALF) by 4 percentage points over average, crop prospects for thecountry remain average.

Figure3.16. India crop condition, January-April 2017