Crop condition in Huanghuaihai during the monitoring period was generally below both the average of the recent five years average and 2017.

The main crop in the region was summer maize, which was planted during mid-June after the harvest of winter wheat and which completed its full cycle by September. According to the crop condition development graph based on NDVI, crop condition remained below the 5-year average during the entire period except for late July. Unfavorable condition may be related to scarce precipitation over the region. According to the CropWatch agro-climatic indicators RAIN decreased by 10% compared with average while temperature and radiation over the region rose by 0.3℃ and 6%, respectively. The drier than average weather may have depressed maize yield. The BIOMSS index fell 22% below the 5-year average as a result.

Regarding spatial distribution of crop condition, almost the whole region had below average condition during the monitoring period. Hebei was above average during mid-July to mid-August. Shandong peninsula was exactly on average during the whole period. The others all suffered poor condition throughout the period. The south of Huanghuaihai, including Henan, Anhui and Jiangsu, even departed a lot from average in early July and late September. This pattern is confirmed by the distribution map of VCIx map and the biomass departure map. The maximum VCI value for Huanghuaihai is 0.90, nevertheless a satisfactory value.

Figure 4.14a. Huanghuaihai crop condition development graph based on NDVI, comparing the July to October 2018 to the previousseason, to the five-year average (5YA), and to the five-year maximum

Figure 4.14b. Huanghuaihai spatial NDVI patterns for July to October 2018 (compared to the (5YA) (left) and NDVI profiles associated with these spatial patterns (right)

Figure 4.14c. Huanghuaihai maximum VCI, July to October 2018

Figure 4.14d. Huanghuaihai biomass, July to October 2018