N Korea's rice, corn production down 14 pct in 2015: FAO

SEOUL, Oct. 9 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's production of key food produce is estimated to decline on-year in 2015, data showed Friday, apparently due to unfavorable weather conditions.

The country is expected to produce 1.5 million tons of rice and 2.2 million tons of corns this year, reported the Voice of America, which cited the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.

The estimates mark a 14 percent drop from the combined production of 4.3 million tons observed in 2014, apparently due to droughts and other weather-related factors.

FAO said although North Korea is likely to import 300,000 tons of rice and 200,000 tons of corn to meet the demand next year, the country needs to acquire a combined amount of at least 5.4 million tons.

In 2016, an average North Korean is expected to consume 147 kilograms of rice and corn, which is roughly half of the amount recommend by the United Nations.

colin@yna.co.kr
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