North Korea has emphasized its significant growth in agricultural output thanks to the bunjo [cooperative farm production unit] system, but the workers from these farms have yet to receive their year-end distribution, Daily NK has learned.

“It’s because the managing committee of the cooperative farms have been handing in portions that should be distributed to farmers to the military,” a source based in North Hamkyung Province told the Daily NK on Monday.

Year-end distribution usually takes place on each farm after harvesting and threshing of the crops has been completed. After excluding production, maintenance, operation costs, and rice for the military from the farm’s output, any surplus is distributed among the farm workers.

However, due to measures that require farms to guarantee rice for the military as their top priority, the distribution that should have come to a close in December is still underway. This exacerbates an already subpar harvest and faulty policies that have seen farmers receive less than their fare share this harvest. 

“Because of the drought last year, corn and overall production don't even come to half of the harvest for 2013,” the source explained. “Military rice procurement that should have been finalized by the end of November has yet to come to an end.”

Because of this, roughly a dozen soldiers congregate around cooperative farms every day to receive rice donations and place more pressure on farmers to step up production.

“These soldiers have even forced the leader of bunjo units to go around people’s homes, either threatening them to give up hidden grains or search their residence,” he explained as reason behind why some farmers have lost their stocks.

Cooperative farms receive guidelines from the State Planning Commission and Ministry of Agriculture outlining the amount of military rice allotted to them. In turn, the farms must guarantee this supply, prioritizing it above all else. Each year an estimated 70 percent of total production is donated as military rice or state rice, according to the source.

“Some of the farms have been worried about making preparations for production, thinking it may cause disruptions if all the rice is donated to the military, so they sometimes ask workers to hide crops in their homes,” he said. “This is why it’s not uncommon to see conflicts between soldiers and farmers.”

Beleaguered with anxiety, many have commented on the seeming futility of their labor, pointing out that “there’s no use in working hard all year round since it’s the same as being forced into labor for free.” Others have expressed their concerns about losing corn that they grew in small vegetable gardens before getting to eat any of it.