North Korea Economy Profile 2012

Reference Date: 23-May-2011

Severe winter has affected 2011 winter crops

A WFP/FAO/UNICEF Mission visited the country in February/March to re-assess the food security situation in view of the potential losses to winter wheat and spring potatoes due to severe cold weather. The mission revised the winter/spring wheat/barley and potato production (in cereal equivalent) for the 2010/11 marketing year (Nov/Oct) downwards to 180 000 tonnes and 414 000 tonnes, respectively. The revised total supply for the current marketing year is estimated at 4.25 million tonnes of staple food including milled rice, other cereals, potatoes in cereal equivalent and soybeans. This is similar to the low production of 2009/10 but some 232 000 tonnes less than the earlier estimates by the joint FAO/WFP Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission (CFSAM) in November 2010.

Cereal import requirements are forecast to rise further

The revised total cereal import requirements are raised to 1.086 million tonnes. According to the report, the commercial import capacity of DPRK in 2010/11 has been reduced as a result of reductions in export earnings, as well as higher international food and fuel prices. The government currently plans to import 200 000 tonnes of cereals, a reduction of 125 000 tonnes from the 325 000 tonnes that was informed to the CFSAM mission in October 2010. As of end-January, the government had imported only 40 000 tonnes.

Food insecurity in the country worsening

The WFP/FAO/UNICEF mission had concluded that 6.1 million vulnerable people are in urgent need of international food assistance, due to a substantial reduction of agricultural production and commercial imports, as well as a decrease or curtailment of bilateral assistance. Most vulnerable to food insecurity are: children; pregnant and lactating women; elderly; large families with a high dependency ratio (i.e. few income earners, but many children and elderly dependants); people unable to work because of prolonged or chronic illnesses, particularly those with tuberculosis (TB); and people with disabilities.

Following the UN mission, WFP has started an emergency operation (EMOP) which appeals for a distribution of food aid of 310 500 tonnes to an estimated 3.5 million most vulnerable and food insecure people for 2011/12 (April/March) period. Also, there has been an appeal for donor funding in the order of USD 82.4 million for 2011 to respond to key humanitarian priorities, including USD 7 million for agriculture and food security projects.