Summer crops (maize and soybean) are currently being harvested in the east (up to June) and some what later in the west (June-July). The CropWatch agroclimatic indicators concur to describe the current season as generally poor. Overall rainfall was 6% below average, accompanied by relatively high temperature (+1.3°C) and abundant sunshine (RADPAR +5%), all resulting in a biomass production potential deficit (BIOMSS) of 6%. The cropped arable land fraction (CALF) decrease below the average of the last five years reaches 10%, one of the highest values among the countries monitored by CropWatch. Overall NDVI profiles are well below the average of the recent five years. NDVI clusters indicate average conditions (or even above average) in about 60% of agricultural areas, while poorer than expected crop condition prevails in the remaining areas, especially in Kwazulu-Natal (where coastal areas are more severely affected than the west), Mpumalanga, parts of the Free State, as well as the Northern province exceptits westernmost areas.

Figure3.34. South Africa crop condition, January-April2015

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

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