KOREA, DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF* (18 February)
Currently field preparation activities for spring double crops (wheat, barley and potatoes) are underway. Winter wheat and barley crops, sown in October last year, will remain dormant until March when wheat and barley spring crops will be sown. Due to harsh climatic conditions, only one crop of rice and maize, the main staples, is grown in the country. These crops are planted from March for harvest in September-October. Barring any substantial decline in yields, the 2003 output from the wheat and barley crops, to be harvested next June, is expected to improve over previous year if the projected 10 percent increase in the area planted is realized. Aggregate cereal production in 2002/03, including a forecast for June harvests and production of potatoes in cereal equivalent, is estimated at 3.84 million tonnes. This is 4.9 percent higher than output in 2001/02, mainly reflecting more favourable rainfall, improved irrigation, adequate availability of fertilizers and pesticides and priority given by the Government in timely allocation of seeds and other farm inputs to the agricultural sector. Decline in potato output was more than offset by increase in other cereal crops, particularly maize.
Despite two consecutive years of improved harvests, domestic food production will once more fall below minimum food needs and the country will again have to depend on substantial external food assistance for the year ending in October 2003. Against a deficit of 1.08 million tonnes1 (1.30 million tonnes in the previous year) the commercial import capacity is estimated at only 100 000 tonnes, leaving a food aid need in cereals of 0.98 million tonnes. Part of this is already covered by concessional imports of 300 000 tonnes and food aid pledges of 126 000 tonnes. Hence, there remains an uncovered deficit of 558 000 tonnes which needs to be met by additional food aid pledges and/or concessional imports. Presently, WFP stocks are all but depleted (only 19 000 tonnes of stocks) and only 97 000 tonnes of pledges are in the pipeline. Due to the shortfall in donations, in February WFP had to cut assistance to 2.9 million vulnerable people primarily in the east of the country. To avert an exacerbation of the already widespread hunger and malnutrition donor allocations of more than 77 000 tonnes of food aid are urgently required to cover the already reduced WFP operation up to first half of 2003.
1. Please note this estimate of import requirement is based on FAO/WFP Mission report of 25 October 2002 and is different from the import requirement figure published in "Food Outlook", February 2003. This estimate is based on the revised population and per capita consumption figures.