The South and Southeast Asia MPZ with its vast geographical and latitudinal spread has equally vast diversity in crop phenology. Rice is grown in all of the countries, whereas maize, wheat and soybean are cultivated are less ubiquitous. Country specific crop phenology during the reporting period is presented here: In Bangladesh Rice (Boro) and wheat crops went from sowing/planting to harvesting; Cambodia had Rice (Main wet season) planting to harvesting and rice (Dry season) was harvested; India wheat and rice (Boro) sowing/planting to harvesting; Myanmar maize, rice (Second) wheat were in growing to harvesting; Nepal had wheat sowing to growing stages; Thailand rice (Main) was harvested,  rice(Second) planting – harvesting), and Maize in sowing stage; and in Vietnam rice (Spring/winter both North/South) was in planting to harvesting stages.

Sunshine (RADPAR) is the most important agroclimatic parameter governing crop growth, with RAIN conditioning the extent to which PAR can be absorbed by plants. During the reporting period countries in the zone experienced varying conditions of RAIN compared with average: Afghanistan (0%), Lao PDR (-1%), Thailand (+2%) and Cambodia (+4%). Bangladesh with +20% was the only country receiving higher rainfall. Myanmar (-9%), Nepal (-13%), India (-15%) and Vietnam (-21%) all received below average RAIN.

RAIN was evenly distributed in most areas. Exceptions include one spell of high values in peninsular India in March, and one in Bangladesh, patches in Eastern Gangetic plains in India, few patches in Thailand and Vietnam in April. Low values occurred in North eastern India in April. 

Temperature remained near average in Nepal (+0.1°C), India (+0.2°C), Afghanistan (+0.8°C), Myanmar (-0.3°C) and Vietnam (-0.7°C). Bangladesh, Lao PDR and Thailand experienced lower TEMP by 1.1°C; Cambodia with -1.4°C had maximum deviation from average. Warmer TEMP prevailed near the Tropic of Cancer and north of it. Moreover,  there was a east to west TEMP gradient during the period.

All the countries in the MPZ received lower than average RADPAR ranging from -5% in Afghanistan to -12% for Bangladesh. Combination of these factors led to different scenario for BIOMSS for countries: Myanmar with 356MJ/m2 was perfectly average, Afghanistan (+1%), Lao PDR (+3%), Cambodia (+6%), Thailand (+9%) and Bangladesh was highest (+32%). However, India (-4%), Nepal (-5%) and Vietnam (-12%) were at the lower end. Low BIOMSS was spread over south to western India, coastal Vietnam, northern Vietnam, parts of Myanmar and Thailand.

Lao PDR, Bangladesh and Vietnam achieved 95% CALF while Afghanistan (5%) was lower than average by 63%. India was also low with only 64%, with most low values in the central and peninsular region, but remaining countries did better : Nepal (82%), Thailand (84%),  Myanmar (86%), Cambodia (87%). The largest positive CALF departures from 5YA were achieved in  Myanmar (+12%) and Cambodia (+16%).

Crop condition as assessed by VCIx was good only in Nepal (0.94), Lao PDR (0.92) and Bangladesh (0.91); Afghanistan was the lowest with only 0.31 while remaining countries were in the range of 0.78 and 0.86. Low VCIx was distributed over central and peninsular India and Thailand. Bangladesh experienced good VHI, while low VHI was found almost equally distributed over all parts of the MPZ indicating overall water stress.

In summary, the South and Southeast Asia MPZ presented low crop condition as a result of dry weather, as indicated by low NDVI and CALF. Moreover, crop production is likely to drop according to low VCIx and VHI.

Figure 2.4. South and Southeast Asia MPZ: Agroclimatic and agronomic indicators, January-April 2018

a. Spatial distribution of rainfall profiles                b. Profiles of rainfall departure from average (mm)

c. Spatial distribution of temperature profiles   d. Profiles of temperature departure from average (mm)

       e. Maximum VCI                                                                                 f. Cropped arable land

g.  Biomass accumulation potential departure                                                h.  VHI minimum