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August 11, 2000
North Korea Grain Situation
Area and Production Lower in 2000/01
North Korea grain production (corn, milled rice, wheat and barley) for 2000/01 is estimated at 2.9 million tons, down 16 percent from last year due to lower planted area and yield. Area estimates for corn, rice, and wheat were revised downward in August based on information from the latest UN assessment (June 2000), while a serious summer drought in the main grain-producing regions of the country had a major impact on yields.
Corn production for 2000/01 is estimated at 1.35 million tons, down 16 percent from last year. Corn area, estimated at 525,000 hectares, has dropped significantly since 1998 as the result of government polices that encouraged a shift from corn to potatoes, soybeans, and other alternative crops. The estimated yield of 2.6 MT/Ha is similar to the drought-impacted yield of 1997/98.
Rice production for 2000/01 is estimated at 1.4 million tons (milled basis), down 12.5 percent from last year due to lower area and yield. The estimated area of 570,000 hectares is based on data from North Korea government sources. Dry weather during transplanting and limited water supplies for irrigation during the drought had a negative impact on the crop. The estimated yield of 2.46 MT/Ha is lower than last year but close to the 5-year average.
Winter wheat and barley have become more important in recent years as the North Korea government sought to increase grain production by expanding double-cropping. The government’s wheat area target for 2000/01 was 123,000 hectares, similar to last year, but only 90,000 hectares were actually planted. Estimated yield was lower than normal due to spring drought, and production is estimated at 150,000 tons, down 25 percent from a year ago.
Drought Affects Crops Natiowide
Unusually dry weather in the spring affected the maturing winter wheat and barley crops and delayed the transplanting of corn and rice. Rainfall from May through July was only 40 to 60 percent of normal in most areas of the country (Rainfall Map), which created stressful conditions for vegetative and reproducing crops. Widespread rainfall since mid-July eased the drought, but it was not enough to erase the seasonal rainfall deficit. Corn harvesting begins in late August and continues through September. The rice harvest takes place in October.
Graphs - Cumulative Rainfall for Selected Cities - April 1 through August 9, 2000
For more information, contact Paulette Sandene with the Production Estimates and Crop Assessment Division on (202) 690-0133.
