This monitoring period from October 2015 to January 2016 covers the growing stages of the 10th month rice, and the sowingof the winter and spring rice in Vietnam. Most of the rice cultivation regions are distributed in the northern Red River delta in the Mekong River delta in the south.

The fraction of cropped arable land was similar to the average of the previous five years. Vegetation condition indices(maximum VCI) were favorable (>0.8). For the period under consideration, the CropWatch agroclimatic indicators show below average rainfall (-8%) and aslight decrease in radiation (-1%) with increased temperature (+0.9°C), leading to the increase of biomass (+13%). Crop condition was at the five-year average,and slightly lower than five-year maximum.

Correspondingly, the profiles of NDVIclusters (Figure 3.33) also show most of the country (mainly at the MekongRiver delta) are experiencing favorable crop condition.

Figure3.33. Vietnam crop condition, October2015-January 2016

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

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