Crops in Australia showedbelow average conditions throughout the monitoring period from October 2015 toJanuary 2016, which included the harvest season for winter crops (wheat andbarley) from October.

The unfavorable cropcondition is linked to below average precipitation (Southern Australia: -29%,Victoria: -45%, Western Australia:-12%) and high temperature (SouthernAustralia: +1.8°C, Victoria: +2.1°C, Western Australia: +1.1°C) which hasincreased plant water demand above average levels.  The average maximumVCI only reaches 0.68 for Australia’s cropped land (Table 3.1). The NDVIprofiles also reflect below average conditions in most parts of south-westernWestern Australia, south-eastern Southern Australia as well as northern andmiddle Victoria.

Although the cropped arableland has increased by 4%, CropWatch reports a reduction of 1% in production forwheatin 2015-16. (Table B.2 in Annex B.)

Figure3.6. Australia crop condition, October 2015-January 2016

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

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