North Korea has instructed foreign-currency earners to import fertilizer from China for use in the coming farming season, Daily NK has learned.
A source from Hyesan in Yangkang Province reported today, “Trade with China has started up again, and mineral-exporters are now trading for fertilizer rather than rice in accordance with the order. Fertilizer is taking up a significant proportion of imports at this point. 50kg of fertilizer is trading for 12 Yuan, although the tariffs make it more expensive.”
A second source from Hoiryeong in North Hamkyung Province corroborated the story, saying, “More fertilizer has been entering via border customs just recently. In markets fertilizer prices are similar to those of last year.”
The call to import fertilizer is likely to be partly related to the North Korean government’s rhetorical declaration that it will improve agricultural productivity under Kim Jong Eun. Yet in the short to medium term, North Korea’s only option for improving farm yields is through increased fertilizer use, and due to limited production capacity this process relies on imports.
The country needs approximately 1.55 million tons of fertilizer per annum, but its eleven fertilizer production facilities can currently only turn out around 450,000 tons. During the Kim Dae Jung and Roh Moo Hyun administrations, Seoul provided around 200-300,000 tons of additional fertilizer to North Korea annually for this reason.
In related news, meanwhile, the second source said, “Now is not normally the time for mass mobilization to farm support activities, but some citizens and soldiers are currently being mobilized for it.”
