Several aspects of energy budget and water balance problems in SE Asia and New Guinea are discussed and a new map showing the distribution of global radiation in SE Asia and New Guinea is presented. Potential evapotranspiration rates are calculated by the Penman equation and are compared with monthly rainfall to determine the length of the hydrological growing season. Potential rice yields are estimated based on a formula developed by the International Rice Research Institute. The extremely low maize yields of Asian humid tropics are explained by unfavorable climatic conditions, particularly high night temperature.