In southern Southeast Asia, planting of dry-season rice is in the final stage, and planted area is expected to increase slightly. Harvesting of earlier planted crops is now underway, and yields are expected to be favourable due to adequate irrigation water and sunlight received at the flowering stage. However, a pest infestation in Brunei could potentially decrease production outcomes. In northern Southeast Asia, wet-season rice is in the tillering to maturing stage, and overall conditions are mixed. The rainy season started late, and planted area is expected to decrease slightly due to concerns regarding securing adequate irrigation water supply. Growing conditions vary depending on irrigation water availability, and lower yields are expected in the Philippines due to insufficient rainfall and a dry spell during the critical development stage in combination with recent wetter than normal conditions in the south. There is also concern in Cambodia due to limited precipitation and pest occurrence. Rainfall conditions over the past month have been mixed, and a tropical depression in mid-July brought wet conditions to parts of Thailand, southern Laos, Cambodia, central and southern Viet Nam, and central and southern Philippines. Forecasts indicate potentially below-normal August rains in Thailand and the northern Philippines, and longer-range forecasts through the end of the year suggest above-normal rains are likely across much of the region. Elsewhere in Southeast Asia, including Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, conditions remain generally favourable, except in eastern Sri Lanka where there are lingering dry concerns.

In Indonesia, planting of dry-season rice is ongoing with a current planted area of 3.4 million hectares, which is 1.8 percent higher than the last dry season. Intensive rainfall has supported growing conditions, particularly in the south. Harvesting of earlier planted crops commenced in July, and while progress is slower than last year, vegetation conditions are generally favourable, and yield is expected to be favourable due to adequate irrigation water supply and sunlight received during the flowering phase. The government has also installed additional water pumps and increased fertilizer subsidies this season to support production.  In Malaysia, planting of dry-season rice has reached 95 percent of the cultivation plan and is progressing normally due to stable rainfall conditions. Harvesting of earlier planted crops has reached 8 percent of the planted area, and yield is expected to be slightly lower than last year due to weather inconsistencies. Forecast above-average rains through September may benefit remaining planting operations, but excessive rains could result in crop damage. In Brunei, most dry-season rice is in the reproductive and ripening phases, and about 15 percent of the area is ready for harvest. However, there is concern due to a heavy infestation of brown plant hopper in the rice fields due to high precipitation levels and surface temperatures, and the next few weeks will be crucial in managing and controlling the pest population. In the Philippines, wet-season rice planted in April and May is now in the maturing stage, and lower yields are expected this season due to insufficient rainfall received as well as a dry spell during the critical development stage. Conversely, a combination of the Southwest Monsoon, the inter-tropical convergence zone, and low-pressure area brought recent continuous rains and subsequent flooding to parts of Mindanao. Furthermore, in late July, the combined effects of the Southwest Monsoon and Tropical Cyclone Gaemi (locally named Carina) brought heavy and intense rainfall across the country, particularly to Northern and Central Luzon. In Thailand, planted area of wet-season rice is forecast to decrease as farmers are changing their fields to cassava to mitigate the risk of losses due to drought. Current planted area is only 69 percent of the total expected area. Crops are now in the tillering stage, and growing conditions are better than last year due to sufficient rainfall received from May to July. However, some areas of the northeast received lower than normal June precipitation. Despite lower than expected plantings, production is expected to increase from the previous year as farmers have adequate irrigation water supply to support normal cultivation. In addition, the current farmgate prices for paddy are incentivizing farmers to take particular care of their crops.  In northern Viet Nam, harvesting of dry-season (winter-spring) rice finalized in July with a favourable yield of 6.48 tons per hectare, which is slightly higher than last year due to better irrigation preparation. Wet-season (summer-autumn) rice is in the seeding and tillering stages, and growing conditions are favourable due to adequate irrigation water supply. In the south, wet-season (summer-autumn) rice is in the young panicle forming and grain filling stages. While there were initial concerns regarding hot weather and limited rains, rainfall improvement from late June improved growing conditions. Harvesting of earlier planted crops is now underway in the Mekong River Delta. In Laos, overall conditions are favourable for wet-season rice. Crops are in the tillering stage, and adequate rains received in all regions have provided sufficient irrigation water supply. About 80 percent of the planned area has been planted in lowland areas, and 90 percent has been planted in upland areas.  In Myanmar, planted area of wet-season rice has reached 26.1 percent of the national plan of 6.07 million hectares, primarily in the main producing delta region. Planting progress is slightly slower than the previous year due to lower availability of rainfall and irrigation water. However, growing conditions are generally favourable, and most crops are now at the early tillering stage. In Cambodia, planted area has reached 2,125 thousand hectares and 80 percent of the national plan. About half of the current wet-season rice is in the tillering stage, and about 29 percent is in the panicle forming to grain filling stage. Planting activities are continuing at a slow pace due to limited precipitation received from April to mid-June. Vegetation conditions are lower than normal in the main producing northwest and south-centre. Additionally, pest occurrence in early July affected 45 thousand hectares of crops. However, forecast average to above-average rains through September may benefit remaining crop planting activities and ongoing development. In Sri Lanka, Yala season rice and second season maize crops continue to develop for harvest from August, and conditions remain mostly favourable except in the northeast where there are lingering dry concerns. However, enhanced economic activity and increased government subsidies following the 2021-22 financial crisis have improved farmers' access to agricultural inputs this season, leading to above-average sowings for Yala season rice, which comprises 35 percent of annual rice production and is mostly irrigated. Forecast above-average precipitation through August over most areas will likely provide conducive conditions for remaining crop development but could negatively impact crops at the maturing or harvesting stages. Additionally, likely hot temperatures exacerbate the risk of pest and disease outbreaks. In Nepal, maize harvesting is underway and is expected to conclude in September. Despite favourable conditions at the beginning of the season, a shift to dry weather during the second part of the planting period from April to mid-June resulted in a contraction in the planted area. While production is expected to be slightly below-average due to reduced plantings, yield is still expected to be near-average as farmers were able to mitigate the impacts of dry conditions by pumping water from the ground and irrigation canals. The government also subsidized 60 percent of the electricity costs for maize cultivation. Additionally, planting activities continue for rice, the country’s main staple crop, and conditions remain favourable. However, heavy rainfall from the monsoon season is resulting in flooding and landslides in many areas, particularly in the centre. In Bangladesh, harvesting of summer/Kharif season maize (15 percent of annual maize production) finalized in July while harvesting of Aus season rice (10 percent of annual rice production) is now underway. Additionally, planting of both Aman season rice (35 percent of annual rice production) and main season sorghum continues for harvest from November. Throughout the country, overall conditions remain favourable with near-average yields expected, despite impacts of severe weather and floods this season, including a severe heatwave in April and the passage of Tropical Cyclone Reman in May. In the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, maize and rice crops continue to develop for harvest from August, and growing conditions remain favourable throughout the country.