Changchun, China — The North Korean authorities are already driving farmers back into the fields to prepare for next year’s growing season, even before this year’s harvest is complete.
A source from North Hamkyung Province told the Daily NK on Thursday, “Farm cadres have been given a headache in the form of a decree which calls for autumn plowing as soon as harvesting is complete. What’s worse, inspectors have been dispatched to the province even though we haven’t finished threshing this year’s grain yet.”
The authorities are emphasizing the importance of autumn plowing this year, telling farmers, “Autumn plowing has the effect of killing three birds with one stone: it increases next year’s productivity, kills harmful insects and dries out unwanted seeds.”
More northerly Yankang Province is a little different. A source from the area explained, “We got the decree about autumn plowing, but the soil has already frozen so we have been specially excluded. Workers in factories and companies have to catch harmful insects on farms instead.”
The Ministry of Agriculture handed down instructions, “Mapping out measures to plow fields and eliminate harmful insects,” to the Agricultural Accounting Committee of each province on October 20, according to sources.
In November, an “Agriculture management group” consisting of Party cadres, the machinery of law and administrative organs was convened and inspections initiated in preparation for next year’s farming. It seems that the authorities are once again ignoring systematic, fundamental problems, such as the need for agricultural reform or more fertilizer, and only taking an interest in the mobilization of farmers themselves.
In the mean time, however, due to a lack of manpower and transportation, this year’s yield is late arriving at granaries. Additionally, fields are getting frozen, so plowing the soil has become more difficult.
There are not enough trucks, tractors or farm machinery, much less gas, meaning that oxen are the only source of power. Of course, it is extremely hard to plow frozen fields with cows alone.
A source also said, “The authorities are pressing us to plow the fields when we have not even finished harvesting yet.”
He added, “Belated harvesting causes significant losses. After we finish harvesting in fall we have to feed up the oxen for next year, but lately we have had to drive them too hard. They might not work as well next year.”
Meanwhile, the number of forest fires is also on the increase currently, because farmers are burning the fields in order to prevent damage by harmful insects.
A source from Yangkang Province reported explained, “A forest fire in Pungseo in the middle of October was caused by stubble burning. This was done because there we were told to burn the stubble in order to eradicate harmful insects.”
He added, “Since then, there have been six forest fires in just one month.”
The source also expressed his concern about next year’s food security, “We do things in this way every year, so our food problems cannot be solved. We have a little food to get by on for now, but in the coming spring the situation will worsen as the number of households which are short of food grows, so farming will be difficult too.”
