Although North Korea is currently harvesting potatoes, wheat, barley and other rice-alternatives, the price of rice continues to increase in the country’s markets. In fact, the price of rice in mid-July was over 40% higher than it was at the same time over the past two years.
According to Daily NK’s regular survey of market prices in North Korea, a kilogram of rice cost KPW 5,720 in Pyongyang, KPW 5,820 in Sinuiju and KPW 6,200 in Hyesan as of July 10.
Prices have increased by KPW 200 to KPW 400 by region over the last half month. On June 26, a kilo of rice cost KPW 5,500 in Pyongyang, KPW 5,600 in Sinuiju and KPW 5,800 in Hyesan.
In particular, a kilo of rice crossed the KPW 6,000 line in Hyesan, Yanggang Province.
In June and July of last year, the price of rice in Hyesan temporarily creeped past KPW 7,000 as certain cities in the province were ordered into repeated lockdowns due to suspected cases of COVID-19.
However, the price of rice remained relatively stable in the KPW 4,000 – KPW 5,000 range in other regions such as Pyongyang and Sinuiju, which were not subject to lockdowns at the time.
In short, the price of rice did not rise past the KPW 6,000 line in Hyesan, Pyongyang and Sinuiju like it has this year.
Indeed, Daily NK’s analysis of the market price of rice in mid-July over the last three years — based on accumulated data of North Korean market prices — found that this year has marked a high in rice prices.
On July 12 of last year, a kilo of rice cost KPW 4,000 in Pyongyang, KPW 4,200 in Sinuiju and KPW 5,500 in Hyesan.
Even on July 19, 2020, six months after North Korea closed its border with China, a kilo of rice cost KPW 4,000 in Pyongyang, KPW 4,010 in Sinuiju and KPW 4,300 in Hyesan.
Cho Chung-hui, the head of the South Korean non-governmental organization Good Farmers and an expert on North Korean agriculture, told Daily NK that the price of grains such as rice and corn usually falls in early and mid-July thanks to the potato, wheat and barley harvest, which begins from June.
“That grain prices have continued climbing this July, unlike previous years, could indicate poor harvests of potatoes, wheat and barley,” he said.
This is to say, although grain prices had tended to fall in summer with demand for rice and corn decreasing as alternative staples hit the market, harvests of potatoes, wheat and barley appear to have been so poor that they have had a negligible impact on rice and corn prices.
Cho explained that North Korea’s travel bans have prevented wheat, barley and other crops harvested in the nation’s interior from reaching other regions, leading to increases in grain prices in Hyesan, Hoeryong, Onsong and other areas along the China-North Korea border.
“Because potatoes and wheat are harvested late in the north[ern part of the country], alternative staples produced in interior regions need to circulate to other regions,” Cho said. “But with movement hindered due to COVID-19, this has led to a rise in grain prices in border cities.”
If grain prices continue to climb, North Koreans may suffer from even worsening food shortages, a source inside the country told Daily NK.
“The price of rice and corn climbs by KPW 100 or KPW 200 every week,” she said. “The number of people who can’t eat one meal a day due to endlessly climbing grain prices has noticeably increased.”
Translated by David Black. Edited by Robert Lauler.
Please direct any comments or questions about this article to dailynkenglish@uni-media.net.
