Russia presented unfavorable crop and environmental conditions from July to October (VCI=0.78), the time (July and August) when winter and spring wheat are harvested. The maize harvest was also completed before October. Compared with average conditions, rainfall decreased 17% and temperature decreased 0.9oC.Both changes concur to account for a 10% drop in potential biomass compared with the last five-year average. As for the NDVI patterns, significantly above average values occurred in most parts of Russia’s cultivation area (more than 70% of the area, mostly in the west including Moscow and Volgograd,and east including Novosibirsk) from February to June. Good crop condition indicators point at satisfactory crops. During this monitoring period, as shown by the crop condition development graph, NDVI was below values for the recent five-year average. Above average NDVI occurred in the center and south of Cultivation areas, including Yekaterinburg; other regions where characterized by close to or slightly below average NDVI. The low NDVI values for the monitoring period describes dry conditions, which could lead to early harvesting. Overall, CropWatch estimates a positive outcome of the growing season.

Figure3.27. Russia crop condition, July-October2014

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

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