Despite a bumper harvest from the salt farms of the West Sea thanks to a good weather, the salt in stock is running short on the East Sea since the fish catch has increased.
A source from North Hamkyung Province said on the 13rd that “As the haul of herring, arabesque greenling and squid has increased, so the price of salt is soaring.”
The source added that “In Rajin-Sunbong, the price of salt per kilogram has been recorded at the highest; 1,500 won. Relatively, the salt price has soared higher than the rice price this year.”
In the last year, the salt price in the Hamkyung Provinces was from 120 to 150 North Korean won per kilogram. As of September, the salt prices were 600 won in Rajin, 300 won in Hoiryeong and 400 won in Hyesan.
At the same time, in Shinuiju, Nampo and Haeju, all of which lie by the West coast, the salt price was 180 won, 200 won and 180 won respectively.
Despite abundant salt production, all is not well
The major salt production place in North Korea is the West coast. On the West Coast where the tides rise and falls sharply many salt farms were built and bay salt is produced.
The source said that “Although we have sea on two sides, the east coast doesn’t have much salt production. Workers for the salt farms steal salt and hide it in their homes and when the salt price rises, around the time of the kimchi preparation season, they sell the salt in the jangmadang.”
“The weather was so good this year, so the salt production sharply increased. But due to the lack of transportation, salt is piled like mountains on the salt farms,” explained the source.
However, especially in Yeomjoo and Jeungsan, North Pyongan Province, early in August there were heavy rains, so salt piled up on the farms was destroyed, causing much damage, according to the source.
The marine-products organization has crying eyes
On the other hand, the East Coast areas are suffering from a severe salt crisis due to steeply increased hauls of fish. The soaring salt prices are stirring up prices inland.
The source said that “Although people have heard that salt production has been abundant in the West Coast areas, the salt prices are so unstable because salt has not been conveyed to locations of high demand in the proper time.”
According to the explanation of the source, there is no refrigeration equipment in North Korea, so the only ways to preserve fish are salting and drying. There are salt farms on the East Coast but they are not sufficient for demand.
The Marine-products organizations in Wonsan, Heungnam, Chongjin, Rajin and other major cities on the East Coast are suffering from the lack of salt, rendering marine products inedible.
He said that the East Coast Marine-products organizations cannot purchase salt because they don’t have the resources to go directly to the West Coast.
The salt prices which amounted to 120 or 150 won per kilogram last year have risen to 400 or 500 won. When the season for preparing kimchi comes in October, the prices will skyrocket, according to the prediction of the source.
