The reporting period covers the sowing of winter wheat in southwestern China. According to the regional NDVI profile, crop condition was partly below average, and only close to average in late July. Overall,the crop growth was unfavorable.

According to the agroclimatic and agronomic indices, compared to the average of the past 15 years, rainfall was below average (RAIN -9%), sunshine was high (RADPAR +1%) while the temperature was slightly lower than the average by 0.6 °C. Compared to the average of the past 5 years, the cropped arable land fraction has not changed and the potential biomass production index was low (BIOMSS -6%). 

As shown by NDVI clusters and maps, NDVI in the region was close to average from Mid-August to Mid-September, except in Northeastern Yunnan and neighboring areas in Western Guizhou. Both recorded very low NDVI due to low RAIN (-5% and -20%, respectively. In Chongqing, precipitation has not changed from the average level but sunshine was high (RADPAR +2%). Sichuan Province has slightly lower than average indicators, starting with precipitation. Even the NDVI was slightly below average, but the maximum VCI at 0.94 indicating the crop growth status at  peak of the growing season was still comparable with the previous five years.

Figure 4.11. Crop condition Southwest China region, July ‐ October 2018

(a) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI

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

(d) Maximum VCI

(e) Biomass