Changchun, China — The North Korean authorities are already driving farmers back into the fields to prepare for next year\u2019s growing season, even before this year\u2019s harvest is complete.<\/p>\n
A source from North Hamkyung Province told the Daily NK on Thursday, \u201cFarm cadres have been given a headache in the form of a decree which calls for autumn plowing as soon as harvesting is complete. What\u2019s worse, inspectors have been dispatched to the province even though we haven\u2019t finished threshing this year\u2019s grain yet.\u201d<\/p>\n
The authorities are emphasizing the importance of autumn plowing this year, telling farmers, \u201cAutumn plowing has the effect of killing three birds with one stone: it increases next year\u2019s productivity, kills harmful insects and dries out unwanted seeds.\u201d<\/p>\n
More northerly Yankang Province is a little different. A source from the area explained, \u201cWe got the decree about autumn plowing, but the soil has already frozen so we have been specially excluded. Workers in factories and companies have to catch harmful insects on farms instead.\u201d <\/p>\n
The Ministry of Agriculture handed down instructions, \u201cMapping out measures to plow fields and eliminate harmful insects,\u201d to the Agricultural Accounting Committee of each province on October 20, according to sources. <\/p>\n
In November, an \u201cAgriculture management group\u201d consisting of Party cadres, the machinery of law and administrative organs was convened and inspections initiated in preparation for next year\u2019s farming. It seems that the authorities are once again ignoring systematic, fundamental problems, such as the need for agricultural reform or more fertilizer, and only taking an interest in the mobilization of farmers themselves.<\/p>\n
In the mean time, however, due to a lack of manpower and transportation, this year\u2019s yield is late arriving at granaries. Additionally, fields are getting frozen, so plowing the soil has become more difficult.<\/p>\n
There are not enough trucks, tractors or farm machinery, much less gas, meaning that oxen are the only source of power. Of course, it is extremely hard to plow frozen fields with cows alone. <\/p>\n
A source also said, \u201cThe authorities are pressing us to plow the fields when we have not even finished harvesting yet.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added, \u201cBelated harvesting causes significant losses. After we finish harvesting in fall we have to feed up the oxen for next year, but lately we have had to drive them too hard. They might not work as well next year.\u201d <\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the number of forest fires is also on the increase currently, because farmers are burning the fields in order to prevent damage by harmful insects. <\/p>\n
A source from Yangkang Province reported explained, \u201cA forest fire in Pungseo in the middle of October was caused by stubble burning. This was done because there we were told to burn the stubble in order to eradicate harmful insects.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added, \u201cSince then, there have been six forest fires in just one month.\u201d<\/p>\n
The source also expressed his concern about next year\u2019s food security, \u201cWe do things in this way every year, so our food problems cannot be solved. We have a little food to get by on for now, but in the coming spring the situation will worsen as the number of households which are short of food grows, so farming will be difficult too.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Changchun, China — The North Korean authorities are already driving farmers back into the fields to prepare for next year\u2019s growing season, even before this year\u2019s harvest is complete. A source from North Hamkyung Province told the Daily NK on Thursday, \u201cFarm cadres have been given a headache in the form of a decree which […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":160,"featured_media":10522,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[645],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10520","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-economy"],"yoast_head":"\n