South and Southeast Asia is a region with very diverse climates, topogra?phy and crop phenology. Rice,maize, wheat, and soybean are common crops. The reporting period covers a variety of phenological conditions in the region and country-specific phenology during the reporting period is detailed hereafter; (1) in Bangladesh, Aman rice planting, Aus rice planting and harvesting, rice (Boro) and wheat crops are harvested during the reporting period, (2) Cambodia, maize planting, dry season rice harvesting, and wet season rice planting, (3) India, planting of Kharif rice, maize, and soybean, as well as harvesting of Rabi rice and wheat, (4) Myanmar and Nepal, planting of rice and maize and harvesting for wheat, (5) Thailand, rice and maize crops planting and harvesting, and (6) Vietnam, rice planting and harvesting, which continues here almost year-round.

Overall,the South and Southeast Asia MPZ received about 18% above average rainfall (RAIN), rather cool temperature (TEMP, -0.7°C below average) and low radiation (RADPAR, -5%). All countries had above average RAIN except Cambodia, which recorded a slight decrease (-1%): Bangladesh +23%, India +17%, Thailand +11%, Vietnam +11%, Nepal +2% and Myanmar +20%. The TEMP was below average in all countries; Bangladesh -1.3°C, Cambodia -1.4°C, India -0.4°C, Myanmar -0.8°C, Nepal -1.5°C, Thailand -1.2°C and Vietnam -0.8°C. RADPAR recorded low values relative to average in all countries as well: Bangladesh -7%, Cambodia -6%, India -4%, Myanmar -5%, Nepal -6%, Thailand -5% and Vietnam -6%. As a direct consequence of high moisture supply the prevailing biomass accumulation potential (BIOMSS) was above average average for most countries by values between 1% (Vietnam) and 13% (Bangladesh)

Among the agronomic indicators, the average of VCIx was 0.77. All countries were in the range between 0.83 and 0.94, except for India (0.70). The average Cropped Arable Land Fraction (CALF) indicates a reduction in cultivated by 13%, which is significant considering the size of the region. In general, all countries recorded slight changes in CALF except India, where the drop reached 21%.

The overall situation in South and continental Southeast Asia MPZ is currently mostly favourable, with the exception of India where contradictory indicators need to be monitored closely.

Figure 2... South and Southeast Asia MPZ: Agroclimatic and agronomic indicators, April-July 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 potentialdeparture                                        h. VHI minimum