Indicators in Australia show generally below average condition for the period between January and Aprilin 2015, but differences between indicators make it difficult to assess the intensity of the anomaly. The reporting period is out of season for wheat and barley, which are the main crops for Australia. As a result, it is not surprising that the maximum VCI is generally only 0.54. The maximum VCI is below 0.5 for most of the Eastern Australian regions, including Victoria(except for southeastern areas), the middle and south of New South Wales, and the southeast of South Australia, which is consistent with the monitored result of a 16% decrease of the fraction of cropped arable land (CALF) compared with the recent five-year average.

Also compared to the recent five years, the spatial NDVI patterns and the corresponding time profiles show the condition of crops as below average, especially for the western part of Western Australia, southeastern part of South Australia, all over Victoria except for its southeastern area, and the southwestern part of New South Wales,together accounting for about 76.4% of the monitored area.

Globally, agroclimatic indicators display average conditions (RAIN,-2%; TEMP, +0.8°C; and RADPAR, -1%), resulting in an average potential accumulated biomass (BIOMSS) of -1%compared to average. The "average" RAIN results from a marked deficitin Queensland and Tasmania (below -30%), combined with positive departures inother areas (+19% in New South Wales, +33% in South Australia, +22% forVictoria, and +48% for Western Australia) where soil moisture conditions now arefavorable for the planting of wheat and barley in the coming month.

Figure3.6. Australia crop condition, January-April 2015

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

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