Food Prices Rising in North Korea

Current Prices in DPRK

Price research conducted by Life Funds for North Korean Refugees
Surveyed: Morning of June 12, 2011
Data Released: 13th June
Research in Onsong and Chonjin North Hamgyong Province

Food Price List for DPRK

Unit: North Korean Won (KPW)


Item

In Onsong

In Chonjin

Remarks

Rice DPRK domestic

1,700

2,000

per Kg

Imported rice

2,000

per Kg

Sticky Rice

1,800

2,100

per Kg

Corn

900

900~950

per Kg

Wheat Flour

1,700

1,400

per Kg

Chicken egg

250

380~450

per EGG

Potato

600

500

per Kg

Soybean oil

4,800

4,600

per LITER

Soybean

1,400

1,600~1,700

per Kg

Pork

4,500

5,500~6,000

per Kg

Chicken

10,000~15,000

per CHICKEN

Salt

700

450

per Kg

RMB100

40,000

41,000

US$ 100

265,000

266,500

Here, for your reference, are comparison prices from November 2010.

   Item

 Musan 

 Haeryon 

 Rice

 980  KPW/kg

 950  KPW/kg

 Soybean

 500  KPW/kg

 550  KPW/kg

 Wheat Flower

 950  KPW/kg

 950  KPW/kg

 Soybean oil

 2,800 KPW/kg

 3,000 KPW/kg

 Chicken

 2,500 KPW

 2,700 KPW

 Corn

 550  KPW/kg

 500  KPW/kg

 Potato

 250  KPW/kg

 300  KPW/kg

Pork

 3,000 KPW/kg

 2,500 KPW/kg

Some families have stockpiled food at home for their own use. But many others, who have no food reserves, have turned to high-interest usurers who can be found around the local marketplaces. Interest rates run 200%, with every 10 kilograms of rice borrowed being repaid with 20 kilograms following harvest.

North Korea’s current social climate appears to be growing more volatile, as well, with local politians fanning the people’s resentment of the South. The latest complaint is the use by South Korean troops of Kim Jong-il’s portrait for target practice. The North has not yet been placed on a wartime alert, but the people are increasingly expecting something to happen.

Comparing Crop Yields

Last year LFNKR supplied 500 kg of seed corn (both Chinese and American varieties) to a cooperative farm as well as individual farmers in North Hamgyong, and to another cooperative farm and individual farmers in South Hamgyong.

The North Hamgyong farm planted the Chinese and American corn in a 5 hectare field and tracked the results. Seed corn procured domestically in North Korea produced 2,500 kg per hectare. In contrast, the Chinese corn yielded 4,000 kg per hectare, and the American corn yielded 5,000 kg per hectare.

Unfortunately, the South Hamgyong farm only received enough seed to plant a 3 hectare area, but they are hoping to receive more seeds next year. The harvests at these farms are markedly higher than those of surrounding farms, which planted only domestic seed corn and produced scanty crops.