With the fall harvest nearing its end in North Korea, it has been reported that farmers are worried about the poor harvest this year.
On the 10th, a source from Daily NK in South Pyongan Province said, “The rice harvest is being completed at farms including the farm in Deokcheon City, but the harvest is lower than previous years, so people are already worried about their livelihood next year.”
According to the source, this year’s weather was particularly hot and heavy rain caused damage, causing major disruptions in crop growth, and production at farms also decreased compared to previous years.
However, the source explained that the authorities are collecting all the planned amount allocated by the state and collecting more for various reasons, so the amount distributed to farm workers this year is expected to be very small.
The source said, “In the past, we had enough food to eat until at least January of the next year, but this year, there is talk among farm members that they will not be able to get all the food to eat by the end of the year.” He added, “The farm members’ livelihood depends on one year of farming. “Anxiety is reaching its peak,” he said.
In fact, a farm worker in his 50s from Deokcheon City, South Pyongan Province said, “This year, the harvest has decreased due to damage from natural disasters, so it barely reaches two-thirds of the standard amount. Therefore, it is obvious that the amount of distribution that is due to us will be drastically reduced. He was reported to have complained, “I don’t know how to survive because carrying out the government’s plan takes priority over the food issues of our farmers.”
Another farm worker in his 50s also said, “It feels like death to be starving even after working hard and sweating all year long. I don’t know why I have to live like this. “If the crop is bad, the damage is entirely the responsibility of the farmers, and if the crop is good, the government takes it all, so in the end, our farmers are unable to escape from hunger and pain for generations to come,” he said, lamenting his situation.
The source pointed out that farmers are currently in such a difficult situation that they barely have to eat anything like rice water for meals, and the distribution volume is expected to decrease due to a decrease in harvests this year, so there are no signs of improvement in the lives of farmers.
A source said, “On TV, they are making it seem like farming is going well and the harvest has increased, but it is completely different from reality.” He added, “Propaganda by disguising farmers’ painful groans as happiness is adding to the mental pain of farmers who are struggling otherwise.” He said.
At the same time, he said, “Now we need to come up with measures to ensure that farmers, who work tirelessly for decades but end up living in poverty, can at least eat properly,” adding, “As the saying goes, ‘A cow that eats hard,’ farmers also need to eat enough. “You can work, and if you do that, the yield will naturally increase,” he pointed out.
In an editorial on the 23rd of last month, Rodong Sinmun, the Labor Party’s organ, said that this year’s crop was generally good, saying, “Under the current conditions where it rains frequently and it is impossible to predict when hail and frost will fall, it is a matter of life and death to set the right time for autumn harvest (harvest) and finish it within a short time. “He emphasized.
However, in a report on North Korea posted on its website on August 13 (local time), the World Information and Early Warning Department of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) predicted above-average rainfall and above-average temperatures from August to October this year, saying, “Pests ·The incidence of disease increases, potentially increasing the risk of reduced yields.”
Source: www.dailynk.com
