The reporting period corresponds to the sowing of summer maize and the planting of rice crops in the country, as well as to the harvesting of winter wheat. Rainfall (RAIN, 240mm) was 5% above average. TEMP at 27.9°C was -0.6°C lower than average and RADPAR was near average. BIOMASS accumulation was expected to be 593 gDM/m2, 2% higher than average. NDVI was lower than average throughout the reporting period in most of the country. The Cropped Arable Land Fraction decreased to 0.3, 16.4% lower than average. The VCIx is average.

Regional analysis

Due to the country's large diversity of natural environmental conditions (topography, soil and weather etc.), Pakistan can be divided into four agro-ecological regions (AEZ), namely Balochistan, Lower Indus river basin, Northern Highlands, and Northern Punjab. Only a small proportion of land is cultivated in Balochistan, and only the other three AEZs are described below.

All the regions received more rainfall than average while temperature marginally decreased (-0.6℃~ -1.1℃). The proportion of rainfall increased most in the Lower Indus river basin (20% above average, against 5% in other areas) and the highest rainfall among the regions was recorded in the Northern Highlands (339 mm). The three  regions received less RADPAR than expected: between 7 and 10%, which is significant.

BIOMASS accumulation in the Northern highlands slightly reduced (-5%) while other regions increased (the Lower Indus river basin 23%, the Northern Punjab 10%). All the regions had persistently lower than average NDVI, with patches of low as well as high VCIx for an average around 0.64.

Cropped arable and ranged between 33% (the Lower Indus river basin) and 59% (Northern Punjab), and the CALF was off average between -20% (the Lower Indus river basin) to -15% (the northern highlands).

Figure  3.23. Pakistan's crop condition, April-July, 2018

                                                           (a).Phenology of major crops

Figure 3.23b. Pakistan national level crop-condition development graph based on NDVI, comparing the April-July 2018 period to the previous season and the five-year average (5YA) and maximum

Figure.3,23d. Pakistan spatial NDVI patterns up to July 2018 according to local cropping patterns and compared to the 5YA (left) and (e) associated NDVI profiles (right)

Figure 3.23f. Balochistan non-agricultural region (Pakistan) (right) Lower Indus river basin (Pakistan)crop condition development graph based on NDVI.(left)

Figure 3.23h.Northern Highland (Pakistan)(right) Northern Punjab (Pakistan) crop condition development graph based on NDVI(left)

Table3.55. Pakistan agroclimatic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departure from 15YA, April-July 2018.

Table3.56. Pakistan, agronomic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departure from 5YA, April-July 2018.

Table 3.57.CropWatch-estimated maize and rice production for Pakistan in 2018 (thousand tons)