The peak of the summer crops (soybean, maize and rice) growing season of as well as maturity of early summer crops occurred during the period being reported on. Early summer crops were being harvested at the end of the period and late crops are near maturity.

Rainfall showed a marked negative anomally (-18%), while temperature and radiation were close to average (+0.1°C and 1%,  respectively). These conditions led to a significant reduction in BIOMSS of 11%.

The crop condition development graph based on NDVI shows much lower values than both average and last year, with a peak near 0.55 compared to an average peak near 0.65. The spatial distribution of NDVI profiles identify negative anomalies for all the groups over February to April, while two groups show negative values for most of  the period. The strongest negative anomally is observed in the South-West, north-eastern Pampas and South Mesopotamia.

Maximum VCI below 0.8 for almost half of the national cropland reflects the poor climatic conditions observed in the country. In particular, the lowest VCI values are observed in the south-eastern and north-eastern Pampas and the south of Mesopotamia. The CropWatch estimates for Soybean, Maize and Rice are 8%, 4% and 15% below previous year's production.

Regional analysis

CropWatch subdivides Argentina into eight agro-ecological zones (AEZ) based on cropping systems, climatic zones, and topography; they are identified by numbers in the VCIx map. Only four of them are found to be relevant for crops cultivation: the Chaco, Mesopotamia, the Pampas, and the Subtropical highlands for which the crop conditions will be discussed with some detail in this section.

Two of the regions, the Pampas and Mesopotamia, showed a similar behaviour with reductions in RAIN of 27% (Pampas) and 23% (Mesopotamia), minor increments in TEMP (0.4°C in the Pampas and 0.1°C in Mesopotamia) and an increase in RADPAR consistent with low rainfall (+2% for areas). The Chaco region showed a lower reduction in RAIN (-7%) and about average temperature and RADPAR (-1%).

The Subtropical highlands, however, recorded average RAIN with a slight reduction in TEMP (-0.5 degree) and an increment in RADPAR (1%). Changes in BIOMSS for each regions were associated to the magnitude and sign of the anomaly in RAIN, with a high decrease in the Pampas (-17%),  followed by Mesopotamia (-14%) and the Chaco (-5%). The Subtropical Highlands show an increment in BIOMSS of 1%. Unexpectedly, VCIx was highest for the Pampas (0.72), with an average of 0.63 for the four regions.

According to the cropped arable land fraction indicator (CALF), Mesopotamia and Chaco underwent almost no change, while the Pampas showed a reduction of 2% and Subtropical highlands an increment of 1%.

Regional NDVI profiles show a similar negative anomally pattern during the first three months (crticial period for growing) for the regions with negative RAIN anomally (Pampas, Mesopotamia and Chaco). Subtropical highlands shows a pattern that is near to average conditions.

                                                        (a) Phenology of major crops

                 (b)  Crop condition development graph based on NDVI_      (c) Maximum CVI                                                     

(e)  Spatial distribution of NDVI profiles (f) NDVI profile

Figure.X Crop condition development graph based on NDVI_PampasFigure.X Crop condition development graph based on NDVI_Chaco

Figure.X Crop condition development graph based on NDVI_Mesopotamia  Crop condition development graph based on NDVI_Subtropical highlands

Table X. Argentina agroclimatic indicators by agroecological zones, current season values and departure from 15YA, January 2018-April 2018

Table X. Argentina agronomic indicators by agroecological zones, current season values and departure from 5YA, January 2018-April 2018

Table X. CropWatch-estimated maize, rice and soybean production for Argentina in 2018 (thousand tons)