FAO/GIEWS - Foodcrops and Shortages 06/02 - KOREA, DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF (4 June)

KOREA, DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF * (4 June)

Harvesting of spring wheat, barley and potato crops is underway and will be completed in the coming weeks. Wheat and barley production in the 2001/02 agricultural season is provisionally estimated at 178 000 tonnes, sharply above the previous year’s harvest. Including the main cereal crops harvested in late 2001, estimated at 2.9 million tonnes, total cereal production available for consumption in the marketing year ending in October 2002 totals 3.1 million tonnes, 0.8 million tonnes more than the previous year. Potato production in 2001/02 is estimated, in grain equivalent, at 475 000 tonnes against 290 000 tonnes in the previous year.

Notwithstanding the increased food production, domestic supplies fall short of requirements by some 1.5 million tonnes. With commercial imports estimated at about 100 000 tonnes, the remaining 1.4 million tonnes will have to be covered by food aid or concessional imports. Of this, WFP has estimated that 525 000 tonnes of cereals and 85 000 tonnes of other food are required to feed 6.4 million beneficiaries, mainly children, pregnant and nursing mothers as well as elderly people. Against this requirement, so far a total of about 400 000 tonnes is available, including carryovers from the end of 2001 and recent new pledges from the U.S. and Australia which have yet to arrive in the country. Owing to the delay in receiving new contributions, in May WFP had to scale back its operations, giving priority to the continued feeding of orphans, young children and pregnant and nursing women. An additional 130 000 tonnes of cereals are urgently required to meet the needs of the most vulnerable populations through to the end of 2002.

An FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission is scheduled to visit the country in late June 2002 to assess the early crop prospects and review the food supply situation.