Crop Montor for AMIS Classification System

The GEOGLAM Crop Monitor for AMIS crop classification scheme is designed to convey current crop conditions to non-agronomists in a terminology that is simple and has relatively universal meanings. Current crop conditions refer to the state of the crop during a given period in the growing season, relative to the average (i.e. typical) state over the previous five years as it relates to final expected yields. The five-year period was chosen to limit the effects of longer-term trends as a result of changes in factors such as seed varieties, and management practices. The four crop condition classes used are; exceptional, favourable, watch and poor.

Crop Monitor for AMIS Crop Condition Classes

Condition Definition
Exceptional Conditions are much better than average* at the time of reporting. This label is used only during the grain-filling through harvest stages.
Favourable Conditions range from slightly below to slightly above-average* at reporting time.
Watch Conditions are not far from average* but there is a potential risk to final yields. There is still time and possibility for the crop to recover to average conditions if the ground situation improves. This label is only used during the planting-early vegetative and the vegetative-reproductive stages.
Poor Crop conditions are well below average*. Crop yields are likely to be 5% below-average*. This is used when crops are not likely to recover, and impact on yields is likely.
Out-of-Season Crops are not currently planted or in development during this time.
No data No reliable source of data is available at this time.

* “Average” refers to the mean conditions over the most recent 5 years.

When crop conditions are identified as other-than-favourable, one or more climatic drivers are provided to indicate the cause of the abnormal crop conditions.

Drivers of Crop Conditions

Crop Condition Table
Driver Definition
Wet Wetter than average (includes water logging and floods).
Dry Drier than average.
Hot Hotter than average.
Cold Cooler than average or frost damage.
Extreme Events Catch-all for all other climate risks (i.e. hurricane, typhoon, frost, hail, winter kill, wind damage, etc.). When this category is used the analyst will also specify the type of extreme event in the text.
Delayed Onset A late enough start to the season that it may impact full crop development.
Socio-economic Social or economic factors that impact crop conditions (i.e. policy changes, agricultural subsidies, government intervention, etc.)
Conflict Armed conflict or civil unrest that is preventing the planting, working, or harvesting of the fields by the farmers.

Crop Season Nomenclature

In countries that contain multiple cropping seasons for the same crop, the following chart identifies the national season name associated with each crop season within the Crop Monitor. Within the Crop Monitors the larger producing season (most recent 5 years) has been assigned to the first season.

EW Table
Region Country Crop Season 1 Name Season 2 Name Season 3 Name
Argentina South America Maize Early-planted crop (usually larger season) Late-planted crop (usually smaller season) N/A
Argentina South America Soybean Spring-planted Summer-planted N/A
Bangladesh Southeast Asia Maize Winter (Kharif) Summer (Rabi) N/A
Bangladesh Southeast Asia Rice Boro Aman Aus
Brazil South America Maize Summer-planted crop (larger season) Spring-planted crop (smaller season) N/A
Canada North America Wheat Winter-planted Spring-planted N/A
China Asia Pacific Maize Spring-planted Summer-planted N/A
China Asia Pacific Rice Single-season Late-season Early-season
China Asia Pacific Wheat Winter-planted Spring-planted N/A
Egypt Middle East & North Africa Rice Summer-planted Nili season (Nile Flood) N/A
India Central Asia Maize Kharif Rabi N/A
India Central Asia Rice Kharif Rabi N/A
Indonesia Southeast Asia Rice Wet-season Dry-season N/A
Kazakhstan Central & South Asia Wheat Winter-planted Spring-planted N/A
Mexico North America Maize Spring-Summer (larger season) Autumn-Winter crop (smaller season) N/A
Mexico North America Wheat Winter-planted Spring-planted N/A
Nigeria West Africa Maize Main season Short-season N/A
Nigeria West Africa Rice Main season Off-season N/A
Philippines Southeast Asia Rice Wet-season Dry-season N/A
Russian Federation Eastern Europe Wheat Winter-planted Spring-planted N/A
Thailand Southeast Asia Rice Wet-season Dry-season N/A
United States of America North America Wheat Winter-planted Spring-planted N/A
Viet Nam Southeast Asia Rice North: Other wet-season (summer-autumn); South: Other wet-season (autumn-winter and seasonal) Dry-season (winter-spring) North: Main wet-season (seasonal); South: Main wet-season (summer-autumn)