North Korea’s rice imports from China have significantly decreased in 2024. This could be due to an improvement in North Korea’s food shortage or the effect of accepting substitute grains from Russia.
According to Voice of America (VOA), on June 13, from January to April this year, North Korea imported approximately $2,617,000 worth of single-grain rice from China. Combining long-grain and single-grain, North Korea’s rice import amount reached $39,870,000, about 15 times more than in 2023. Even when measured in quantity, the rice imported into North Korea this year was 5,225 tons, 17 times less than last year’s 88,000 tons.
Although North Korea’s rice imports from China have traditionally been concentrated in the second half of the year, it was noted that rice imports began to slow down at the end of 2023. The rice import amount from September to December 2023 was $10,980,000, higher than the first four months of this year. However, compared to the rice import amount of $27,540,000 in the last three months of 2022, it is $10,000,000 less.
Notably, North Korea did not import long-grain rice this year. When faced with food shortages, North Korea tends to buy large quantities of cheaper long-grain rice rather than single-grain rice. Long-grain rice, which is not sticky and has a thin and long shape, is mainly produced and consumed in southern regions such as India, Pakistan, and Thailand. It is less preferred in Northeast Asia.
In August 2022, North Korea was caught requesting long-grain rice support from an Indian non-governmental organization. At the time, a North Korean diplomat explained this as being due to a food shortage caused by excessive flooding.
North Korean Economic Expert and Professor at the University of Maryland William Brown told VOA, “We usually think that North Korea is starving, but judging by the amount of rice imports from China this time, they are not starving now.” He added, “Perhaps North Korea’s crop situation was quite good last year, or at least not bad.”
Moreover, an analysis shows that the recently strengthened relations between North Korea and Russia may have influenced the decrease in North Korea’s rice imports from China. It is speculated that the demand for rice may have decreased as they received alternative foods such as flour.
Earlier, a U.S. North Korean specialist media, NK News, cited Russian customs data and reported that at least 1,200 tons of flour and 1,000 tons of corn were exported from Russia to North Korea this year.