Satellite data shows North Korea’s 2026 crop conditions on par with last year
Satellite analysis of North Korea’s crop conditions in August 2026 shows farmland across the country growing at almost exactly the same pace as last year, pointing to a harvest roughly in line with 2025 as the country continues to struggle with chronic food shortages. I analyzed vegetation index data from the Joint Polar Satellite System […]
Recent satellite analyses indicate that North Korea's crop conditions in August 2026 are virtually identical to those observed in August 2025. The vegetation index data, collected by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and NASA's Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS), reveals only a slight increase in the peak August vegetation index on North Korean farmland, suggesting that overall crop vigor has remained relatively stable.
This conclusion is based on the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), which gauges healthy green vegetation by comparing how plants reflect visible and near-infrared light. Favorable weather conditions, including ample water in reservoirs during spring and ample sunlight throughout summer, contributed to this consistency.
Nevertheless, persistent shortages of agricultural inputs, coupled with an August heat wave and drought affecting dryland crops, have hindered any substantial gains in productivity. Consequently, the 2026 harvest is anticipated to closely mirror last year's output, barring any significant deviations caused by autumn typhoons or floods.
Written by urgent.news from Daily NK's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
