North Korea facing 'food crisis' of around 860,000 tonnes this year: UN

North Korea is facing a food shortage of around 860,000 tonnes this year, according to the United Nations’s (UN’s) Food and Agricultural Organisation forecast. FAO also raised concerns over the possibility of North Korea experiencing a “harsh lean period” as early as next month. While the secretive nation is under multiple sets of global sanctions over its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, as per Bloomberg report, the nation has long struggled to feed its people as it suffers chronic food shortages. 

Just last month, North Korea admitted last month it was tackling a “current food crisis” as the COVID-19 pandemic and a range of summer storms and floods added to the pressure on the crippling economy. Reportedly, the FAO document which had a reference date of Monday has projected North Korea to produce a “near-average level” of 5.6 million tonnes of grain in 2021. This value is reportedly around 1.1 million tonnes short of the actual amount required to feed the entire population along with "commercial imports officially planned at 205,000 tonnes.”

The report added that North Korea will likely face a food shortage of around 860,000 tonnes. "If this gap is not adequately covered through commercial imports and/or food aid, households could experience a harsh lean period from August to October," it said.

Kim flags 'tense' food situation in country 

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on June 15 has warned of a “tense” food situation in the country caused due to the COVID-19 pandemic, typhoons witnessed last year. As per North Korea’s official KCNA news agency, Kim also noted that the country’s economy has surged from that of last year but warned regarding the food situation as he chaired a plenary meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party’s central committee on Tuesday. The committee convenes to reportedly set goals and tasks to achieve its five-year economic plan which was unveiled in February including food and metal production.

According to the report, the North Korean leader told the meeting that the overall economy of the country had improved in the first half of the year and the total industrial output grew 25% from that of a year before. However, Kim noted that “a series of deviations” that the party faced in implementing the plans due to a range of obstacles while singling out tight food supplies. KCNA quoted Kim as saying, “The people’s food situation is now getting tense as the agricultural sector failed to fulfil its grain production plan due to the damage by typhoon last year.”

IMAGE: AP