Assessment of the Food Supply in 2019

The Korean peninsula suffered from a prolonged heat wave in the summer of 2018. In particular, drought combined with the extreme heat wreaked havoc on North Korea’s agricultural production.1 The heat wave in North Korea began on July 11, 2018 and continued through to August of that year, with temperatures soaring to a record high of 40℃ across the country. It was reported to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) that North Korea had declared a state of emergency in several regions due to the abnormally hot weather conditions.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) also had concerns over the impact on North Korea. Low precipitation levels and high temperatures in July-August–the main cropping season–crippled
agricultural production.2 According to a FAO report, 8% of the cultivated area of major food crops was damaged by early August. In addition, it was presumed that some parts of North Korea also suffered from heavy rainfall due to typhoon Soulik. Indeed, the outlook for the food supply in 2019 looked bleak.

* This article is part of 2019 The DPRK Economic Outlook

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