[VNM] Vietnam

The period from January to April covers the sowing and growing periods of spring rice in both the north and south of the country, with differences due to altitude. Most of the rice cultivation regions are distributed in the northern Red River delta and in the Mekong Delta in the south.

Nationwide, rainfall was 134 mm, 37% above average. The temperature was about average but at 865 MJ/d/m2, RADPAR was 10% below. The biomass production potential fell 12% against the 5YA, with the cropped arable land fraction (CALF) at 0.96 (up 1% over the 5YA) and the maximum vegetation condition index at 0.84. CropWatch currently predicts rice production to decrease about 1.4% below 2017 output.

Regional analysis

According to the cropping system, climatic zones, and topographic conditions, several agro-ecological zones (AEZ) could be distinguished. The Northern zone with the Red River Delta, the Central coastal areas from Thanh Hoa to Khanh Hoa and the Southern zone with the Mekong Delta.

The current biomass in the North Zone is lower than the last 5-years average by 19%, as a result of rain and RADPAR reductions of 35% and 18%, respectively.  In the central zone,  the biomass is up 13% as an effect of rain increasing 9% above average; RADPAR dropped 10%. The biomass in the southern zone decreased 20% below the 5YA in parallel with a 23% drop in RAIN; RADPAR was about average. 

The central coastal zone did better than the other areas as over 80% of the croplands show average or better than average crop condition.

In general, crop prospects are expected to be satisfactory.

Figure 3.33. Vietnam crop condition, January 2018 - Apirl 2018.

                                                                        (a) Phenology of major crops

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

                                                                                               (d) NDVI profiles

(e) crop condition development graph based on NDVISouthern zone with Mekong Delta (right)  Northern zone with REd river Delta (left)

(g) Central coastal areas from Thanh Hoa to Khanh Hoa (Vietnam) crop condition development graph based on NDVI

Table 3.61 Vietnam agroclimatic indicators by agroecological zones, current season values, and departure from 15YA, January 2018-April 2018

Table 3.62 Vietnam agronomic indicators by agroecological zones, current season values and departure from 5YA, January 2018-April 2018

TableVietnam’s CropWatch-estimated Maize production for 2018 (thousand tons)