The prolonged drought in North Korea, which became the strongest in 16 years, caused serious damage to agriculture. Pyongyang is in need of immediate assistance from the international community. It is reported by the food and agriculture organization of the UN (FAO), reports The South China Morning Post.
The organization’s experts believe that in the near future, Korea will have to increase food imports to provide food for people. They also stated the need to modernize the irrigation system of the country.
According to FAO, in 2017 due to the drought in the DPRK seriously affected the production of rice, maize, potatoes and soybeans. “The main areas where cereals are produced, rainfall was less than in 2001. And then the production of grain fell to a record low of 2 million tons,” — said FAO representative in China, DPRK and Vincent Martin.
Early this year the grain harvest in North Korea has decreased by more than 30 percent compared to last year: from 450 thousand to 310 thousand tons, reports RIA Novosti.