North Korea taps reserve grain stocks as farm workers in South Hwanghae go hungry
North Korean authorities urgently released state reserve grain to farms in South Hwanghae province, the country’s principal grain-producing region, after a growing number of farm worker households struggling to find food caused a sharp drop in farm attendance. According to a source in the province, the Cabinet, the administrative body that oversees North Korea’s economy, […]
North Korean authorities have released state reserve grain to farms in South Hwanghae province after a shortage of food among farm workers led to a drop in farm attendance. The cabinet issued an emergency directive on August 8, ordering farms to supply a 10-day food ration to households facing shortages. This move followed reports that many farm workers had run out of food completely and could not even manage one proper meal, causing attendance to plummet and disrupt crop management.
Most of the food supplied consisted of substitute staples such as potatoes, corn, wheat, and barley, rather than rice. While farm workers in South Hwanghae have expressed relief at finally being able to stave off immediate hunger, they have also voiced disappointment that the supply only lasts for 10 days and consists of substitute grains rather than rice.
North Korean authorities are concerned that continued departures of farm workers due to food shortages could seriously damage this year's grain production, as this is a critical time for crop management before the fall harvest.
Written by urgent.news from Daily NK's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
Also reported by 3 other outlets
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- US, South Korea slash joint military drills by half as Trump eyes Kim summit scmp.com
- North Korea media slams joint US-South drills as 'open threat' channelnewsasia.com
