KOREA, DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF* (3 March)

The food situation in the country continues to deteriorate and the outlook for 1997 appears grim. Following severe floods over two consecutive years, domestic supplies of rice and maize are expected to be near depletion sometime during the months of April or May if significant imports are not forthcoming or substantial reductions are made in food intake, which is already estimated to be well below minimum requirements.

Though grain production in 1996 was slightly higher than 1995, the amount available for consumption this year is substantially less. Total grain production in 1996 was estimated by a joint FAO/WFP mission last year at some 4.3 million tons of cereals (including milled rice). A substantial proportion (some 50 percent) of the maize harvest was, however, consumed as fresh cobs, prematurely due to the severity of food shortages, whilst losses from the 1996 floods reduced output by a further 300 000 tons. This, therefore, left a balance of around 2.84 million tons of milled rice and maize available for 1996/97 (November/October). Against this the country needs about 5.4 million tons for total grain utilization, including that for food and other uses. This, therefore, leaves an overall import requirement of over 2.36 million tons. Even assuming the country could import 500 000 tons of this through barter trade and as concessional imports, as it did during 1995/96, it would still be left with a substantial deficit of 1.83 million tons.

In view of the severity of the food situation, a second emergency appeal for food assistance to Korea, DPR, worth some 41.6 million dollars was jointly approved by FAO and WFP on 12 February 1997. So far donor pledges cover approximately 43 percent of this appeal. In addition almost the entire amount of the UN Inter-agency appeal of June 1996, of approximately 70 000 tons has now been covered. Notwithstanding emergency food assistance, the country is still left with a substantial food deficit this year that needs to be covered by programme food assistance through bilateral channels. Following the 1995 floods, such assistance amounted to some 400 000 tons. FAO has also made an appeal for emergency seed, fertilizers and pesticides amounting to 2.86 million dollars to enable the country to introduce a double crop of wheat/barley on 10 000 flood affected hectares to supplement traditional cereals. This amounted to 1 500 tons of seed, 3 140 tons of fertilizer and US $575 000 for the purchase of pesticide. The Government had originally made an appeal for seed and inputs for 100 000 hectares in both flood and non-flood affected areas. As a result of the appeals, so far the following pledges have been received; 5 490 tons of barley seed, which will enable planting on 36 600 hectares, 2 020 tons of fertilizers and $107 000 for the purchase of pesticide. In addition a further pledge of 3 000 tons of barley seed was received at the end of February, though this amount may not be available for sowing this year as the deadline for planting has passed.