North Korea promotes 'rich' fruit production amid food crisis

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un inspects Kwail County in South Hwanghae Province, the county whose economy is based on fruit production, in this September 2017 file photo. KCNA-Yonhap

By Jung Da-min

North Korean media are promoting the "rich" harvest from fruit farms around the country, despite droughts and floods that damaged the country's overall food production this year.

The Rodong Sinmun newspaper on Sept. 28, in particular, published an article titled "Harvesting thousands of tons of fruit every day" on its front page, saying this year recorded "bumper crops" in the face of high temperatures and drought.

The article praised officials and agriculture workers of farms in Pukchong County, in South Hamgyong Province, and other regions for their work in improving pesticides and producing more fruit than last year, despite the challenging conditions.

North Korea has implemented a policy of increasing food production to counter an ongoing food crisis. The country's leader Kim Jong-un has often inspected fruit farms and fruit processing plants in the regions, including the Taedonggang Combined Fruit Farm, the Taedonggang Combined Fruit Processing Plant and the famous Kwail County in South Hwanghae Province.

Kwail means fruit in Korean and the county's economy is based on it. Kim inspected the county in September last year.

The country has also promoted processed fruit products, such as carbonated drinks, cider and drinking vinegar, to reflect the changed tastes of North Koreans.

Meanwhile, more fruit processing plants are being built.

On Wednesday, Rodong Sinmun reported on the completion of a new fruit processing plant in Kosan County, where there is a fruit farm.

Fruit-flavored carbonated drinks in Pyongyang are shown in this March 2018 file photo. Joint Press Corps

Bottles of Omija juice and cider made from pear are shown in this March 2018 file photo. Joint Press Corps

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