Romania present edaverage crop conditions during January to April (VCIx=0.76), a period that covers the harvest of winter wheat (starting in July) and the planting of summer crops, especially maize (planted before May). During this monitoring period, the fraction of cropped arable land dropped 3 percentage point compared with the recent five-year average. Overall, temperature (TEMP) was just above average while rainfall (RAIN) dropped 25%. Due to the dry weather, the potential biomass (BIOMSS) decreased 23% compared with the average.

As shown in the NDVI crop condition development graph, NDVI over the monitoring period was below therecent five-year average from April on forwards. In most parts of southernRomania, including Craiova, Bucharest, and Bacau, the crop condition is near or below average (VCIx < 0.8). In these areas, the NDVI is significantly lowerthan the five-year average. Especially in the south of the country, the crop outlookis poor.

Figure3.26. Romania 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