This monitoring period covers the harvesting stage of last year’s summer crops (maize, rice, and sorghum), as well as the sowing and growing stage of winter wheat and winter barley. Agroclimatic indicators show a decrease of rainfall (-16%) and radiation(-3%), and little above average temperature, while biomass is below the five-year average (-8%). Since October, the average NDVI development profiles indicate that crop condition was less favorable than during the five-year average from October to November; in early December, however, crop condition suddenly increased to close to and above this average, due to an increase in rainfall,as reported from other sources. Later periods experienced below average rainfall.Actually, spatial NDVI patterns and profiles show that crop condition in about 58%of arable agricultural areas in the country has been below average starting in October.All available indicators concur to rank Pakistan’s crops as below average through out the country, with the exception of areas in north and eastern Punjab and north Sindh.

Figure 3.23. Pakistan crop condition, October 2014-January 2015

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

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