The reporting period covers the harvest of the second (dry season) rice, which was completed before May, and the growing period of maize, which started in May. The planting of the main - wet season - rice started in June. Nationwide, crop condition before July was close to the maximum of the recent five years, but  sharply decreased starting in July.

With 908 mm of rainfall, rainfall (RAIN) was up 7% compared to average. Abundant rainfall was accompanied by cool (TEMP, -1.3°C) and cloudy weather (RADPAR, -4%). All the climate indicators combined resulted in an average biomass production potential (BIOMSS, +3%). The Cropped Arable Land Fraction increased 12% in irrigated areas and 6% for rainfed crops. According to the VCIx distribution map, fair crop condition (VCIx>0.5) occurs over most of the country, except for a small area southeast of Tongle Sap, around Peam Chileang and Stung. 

Regional analysis

Based on climate differences, two regions can be distinguished in Cambodia. Weather in the Lake area (especially rainfall and temperature) is mainly influenced by Tonle Sap. In the Main crop area, climate conditions are based on the monsoon. 

Main crop area and Lake area of Tongle Sap

The drop in average national NDVI in July also affects the two lower-level monitoring areas, namely the Main crop area (RAIN, +14%), bordering Laos and Vietnam, and the Lake area of Tongle Sap (RAIN, -4%), bordering Thailand. The agro-climated indicators in Main crop area and the Lake area of Tongle Sap are mainly monitored by Cropwatch. The two area share nearly climate conditions except the rainfall, which lead to a different in the biomass(+5.8% in Main Crop Area and -2.6% in  Lake Plains). 

NDVI clusters show a similar pattern, although the drop is less marked. This phenomenon of a very large drop of 0.2 NDVI units is due to unknown causes, possibly flooding (which typically depresses NDVI signals) or cloud contamination of remote sensing signals. 

(a).Phenology of major crops

Table 3.44. Cambodia agroclimatic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departure from 15YA, April-July 2017 

Table 3.45. Cambodia, agronomic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departure from 5YA, April-July 2017