FAO: North Korea is facing food shortages of almost 860,000 tons
July 7, 2021

North Korea is facing a food shortage of nearly 860,000 tonnes this year, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has said, warning that the country could face a difficult period as early as next month.
The country, which is under several international sanctions over its nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, has long struggled to feed its population, suffering from chronic food shortages.
Last year, the coronavirus pandemic and summer storms and floods put even more pressure on the declining economy, with Pyongyang acknowledging last month that it was battling a “current food crisis”.
North Korea is projected to produce “almost average levels” of 5.6 million tonnes of grain this year, according to a FAO report. That’s almost 1.1 million tons less than enough to feed the entire population, and with commercial imports officially planned at 205,000 tonnes, North Korea is likely to face a food shortage of nearly 860,000 tonnes.
“If this gap is not adequately covered by commercial imports and / or food aid, households may experience a difficult period from August to October,” the FAO said.
Pyongyang closed its borders in January last year to protect itself from a pandemic, as a result of which trade with China, its largest partner, slowed to a minimum as all international aid workers fled the country.
