North Korea has increased pesticide and fertilizer spraying using drones on major farms since July. While the selected farms welcome this boost in state technical support compared to last year, other farms are questioning the fairness of the arrangement.
A Daily NK source in South Hwanghae Province reported Wednesday that the Cabinet’s Agricultural Commission “issued an agricultural administrative order through the provincial agricultural community management committee to large farms, directing them to expand their technical teams with drones and organize spraying activities when needed, warning them not to miss optimal timing.”
A source in North Pyongan Province confirmed similar orders: “The provincial agricultural community management committee received instructions from the Cabinet’s Agriculture Commission to intensify organized activities, having city and county agricultural management committees expand their drone technical teams and spray pesticides and fertilizer at major farms during optimal periods.”
Following these directives, select farms including Samjigang Farm in Chaeryong County, South Hwanghae Province, and Sinam Farm in Ryongchon County, North Pyongan Province, began using drones for pesticide spraying. Farm workers responded positively, saying, “It’s great since it’s easier now that we can do with drones what we used to do ourselves. We welcome the increase in technical support per the state’s order.”
Growing resentment over unequal treatment
The North Korean authorities, pushing for higher agricultural production, appear to be expanding drone support specifically for farms in the country’s major breadbasket regions. However, some people criticize this approach as discriminatory since only certain farms receive assistance.
“Rice blast disease is spreading due to the hot and humid weather, but people complain that the state provides drones for pesticide spraying only to certain farms,” the South Hwanghae source explained. “They say the support is discriminatory, with farmers on other farms in the same province forced to spread pesticides manually.”
The inequality extends beyond drone technology. Large farms that attract state interest consistently receive supplies along with technical support, while other farms struggle with shortages that hinder their operations.
“Most farms must supply their own fertilizer and pesticides, while city and county agricultural management committees take complete responsibility for technology adoption,” the North Pyongan source noted. “Harvested rice goes to the state, but we practically have to rely on self-reliance for all farming and technology implementation.”
The gap between official propaganda and reality hasn’t gone unnoticed by farmers. “In the hit TV drama ‘A New Spring in the Field of Manchurian Cranes,’ there’s a scene showing drone use in farming, but farmers say the reality in the fields is completely different,” the source added. “Most farmers remember helicopters spraying fertilizer from the sky in the past, but say they’ve never actually seen a drone used for farming at their own farms or nearby ones.”
