In Kazakhstan spring wheat, barley, and other cereals currently in the field were sowed before June;they are now in the vegetative stage. Rainfall (RAIN) and temperature (TEMP)were above average (+41% and +0.7°C), with also BIOMSS sharply above average(+42%). From March to April, floods occurred in parts of Kazakhstan and negatively affected crops for some time. However, stored moisture led to fast growth, to the extent that in May and June crop condition was far above themaximum of the last five years. Considering the NDVI profiles and spatial NDVIpatterns (compared to the last five years), most areas in Kazakhstan were above average after April, except for the south of Yujno-kazachstanskaya,Jambylslkaya, and Almatinskaya Oblasts, where maximum VCI did not exceed 0.5.Since late June, national NDVI gradually decreased, but nevertheless stayed close to average. Thanks to abundant rainfall, crop and rangeland prospects arefavorable in the country.

Figure3.18. Kazakhstan crop condition, April-July2015

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

(c)Spatial NDVI patterns compared to 5YA                              (d)NDVI profiles