During the monitoring period, the harvest of the first (main) rice crop started in October and was completed in January. Sowing of the second rice crop began in early January. According to agroclimatic and agronomic indicators, there was a slight increase in temperature(+0.4℃) and radiation(+1%) compared with average, while the rainfall was average. Based on the indices, the situation of crops during the reporting period was comparable to the previous five years, which is consistent with the decrease of the biomass index (-3%).

The NDVI profiles in the areas around the Chao Phraya river basin and south region show decreased values below the average, while favorable crop condition is found in northeast and east region, as well as in the south of the central region. The maximum VCI index displayes a spatial pattern consistent with the NDVI cluster map in the central and northeast region; they present high values(>0.8) in the south region. Generally, the crop production prospects are favorable.

Figure 3.28. Thailand 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 profile