U.N. agency sees severe food shortage in North Korea

[Coventina]

Source: Washington Post

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea is expected to suffer a serious grain shortage this year, well short of what it needs, a U.N. official who recently returned from the impoverished state said on Wednesday.

"We do estimate that the DPRK (North Korea) may have to import a bit over 1 million tonnes to cover the needs," said Daniele Donati, U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation's emergency operations chief, who went there on an inspection tour state last week.

The FAO estimates that destitute North Korea needs about 5.1 million tonnes of grain a year for food, animal feed and seed.

The shortfall is about the same as last year's in a country where the United Nations says millions do not have enough to eat.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/09/AR2009120900608.html