North Korea farming remains one of the regime’s most persistent vulnerabilities, with chronic food insecurity rooted in poor soil, outdated infrastructure, ideological constraints on agricultural reform, and the ongoing tension between collective farming and the individual responsibility system. Daily NK covers North Korea farming through reports on harvest conditions, seasonal mobilizations, fertilizer and equipment shortages, agricultural policy directives from Pyongyang, and the ground-level reality facing farmers across the country’s provinces. Our in-country sources provide some of the most detailed and timely reporting on North Korea’s agricultural situation available in English.
Tag: farming
Rice and fuel prices soar in N. Korea as won weakens...
North Korean market prices remain high after spiking earlier this month. With market exchange rates staying elevated, import prices are soaring.
According to Daily NK's...
Falsified weights spark daily confrontations in N. Korea’s markets
Tensions have grown between buyers and sellers in North Korea's markets as more merchants falsify the weight of their goods.
"In Hamhung's Sapo Market and...
N. Korea expands drone support for select farms, sparking inequality concerns
North Korea has increased pesticide and fertilizer spraying using drones on major farms since July. While the selected farms welcome this boost in state...
Heat wave deaths mount in N. Korea’s agricultural regions
A string of recent deaths in North Korea's rural areas has been linked to extreme heat during weeding operations.
According to a source in South...
N. Korean farmers share livestock to beat summer heat
As the oppressive summer heat drags on, more and more North Koreans are turning to traditional health remedies. This is especially true for farm...
N. Korea’s rural youth program fails as workers abandon farm posts
Despite North Korean authorities calling for the creation of all-youth work squads to help young people settle in agricultural communities, many young people still...
N. Korean farming community erupts over unequal treatment of workers
The families of young farmers recently sent to a forced labor camp for skipping work are complaining, pointing to the relatives of farm officials...
N. Korean exchange rates hit record highs
North Korean market prices have surged across the board after briefly appearing to stabilize. Rice prices in North Korean markets have broken into the...
N. Korea targets farm corruption as legal violations surge
The justice department of Ryanggang province's people committee has launched intensive inspections of farms throughout the province. While officials claim their goal is to...
North Hamgyong province launches monument inspections
North Hamgyong province has started inspecting how well local propaganda monuments are being maintained. This happened after someone complained that animal droppings and garbage...
