The ‘Compost Battle’, which has become an annual event around this time every year, is taking place again this year. It is said that compost production and transportation projects are actively underway throughout North Korea.
On the 10th, a Daily NK Ryanggang Province source said, “The compost production and transportation project is in full swing in all regions of Ryanggang Province, including Hyesan City,” and “The amount of work to be done by each organization, such as institutions, enterprises, schools, and the Korean Socialist Women’s Alliance, and the farms in charge are unknown.” “It was specifically designated,” he said.
The source explains that although the need to transport the produced compost directly to the designated farm is the same as in previous years, the detailed method of carrying out the task differs slightly by organization.
In institutions and enterprises, employees work together to produce compost and transport it to farms in an organized manner, while people’s units prepare compost individually and only work as a group when transporting it to farms.
In fact, employees at a company in Hyesan City come to work in the morning, finish an assembly, and then scoop out frozen compost from a communal toilet (toilet), collect it for several days, and collectively transport it to the farm.
Meanwhile, women who are responsible for the family’s livelihood through trading are said to be carrying compost to the farm, returning around 2 p.m., and immediately going to the market to continue their economic activities.
A source said, “You can only enter the market if you have a certificate from the farm saying you donated compost, so women who have to feed their families through trading have no choice but to go to the farm every day.” He added, “The hardships women in this country (North Korea) face each year. “It is no exaggeration to say that it starts with compost production,” he said.
In addition, he said, “I can’t help but sigh when I see even teenage children carrying compost and carrying it to the farm, which takes two hours,” adding, “When the children come back from the farm in this cold weather, their hands are so frozen that they can’t straighten their fingers properly.” “He said.
North Korea mobilizes all residents to fight compost every year, saying it needs to increase agricultural productivity, but it is pointed out that the food problem has not been solved and is only causing pain and burden to residents.
The source said, “It is said that the agricultural production plan has been over-executed every year, but the residents are suffering from a food shortage that is difficult to feed even for one meal.” He added, “This is why the dissatisfaction of the residents who are mobilized for compost production is bound to be great.”
Meanwhile, the same can be seen in North Hamgyong Province, where all organizations, including institutions, enterprises, schools, and women’s unions, are participating in the compost production and transportation business, forming a long procession of carts.
A North Hamgyong Province source said, “Starting at the beginning of the new year, orders were given to emphasize the importance of farming and to mobilize everyone to contribute to fertilizer production, so the roads were covered with processions of carts carrying fertilizer, regardless of city or county.”
The source said, “If you look at Cheongjin City alone, the roads are full of carts carrying fertilizer.” He added, “The province has ordered a manure task for each person and made it clear that it is a task that everyone who makes a living must do, so all residents are encouraged to do so.” “I’m going to work at the farm, dragging a pile of manure,” he added.
In particular, North Hamgyong Province has strongly emphasized that this year’s compost project should not be done hastily, and has established a system to clearly manage whether the task is being carried out by issuing a confirmation certificate that has been accurately confirmed by a designated farm official and submitting it to each organization as supporting material. It’s a message. This means that the implementation of the compost project is being monitored more strictly than ever before.
However, most residents who know that the compost battle is going on every year have already made preparations in advance, such as paying money to buy compost and storing it in the ground, and are said to be carrying out the task smoothly.
Meanwhile, the source said that this year in North Hamgyong Province, party and administrative agency workers are taking the lead in compost production and are receiving high praise.
Source: www.dailynk.com
