During the monitoring period, the sowing of winter wheat was delayed but nevertheless completed before November, while maize and spring wheat were harvested before October. Cropped arable land increased 4% compared to the last five-year average. Like the whole Central Europe to Western Russia region, the weather in Russia improved during this monitoring period from dry and cold. The rainfall departure was +16% and the temperature increased 0.3°C above average.The BIOMASS was average.

As shown in the NDVI development graph (Figure 3.27), due to the delayed sowing of winter wheat, the NDVI was first recorded as low but later began tor ecover from the end of November on wards. In the South Urals and Volga areas,due to the abundant rainfall (above 30% RAIN departure), the NDVI is above average for October and December. NDVI of cropland in the Caucasus, Centralarea, Kaliningrad, North Subarctic area, Northwest area and South Siberian area was significantly lower than average. The VCIx in Russia during this monitoring period was 0.66 and the outlook for Russian winter crops is below average. 

Figure 3.27. Russia cropcondition, 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