N. Korean grain prices rise amid concerns about the "barley hump" - Daily NK English

N. Korean grain prices rise amid concerns about the "barley hump" - Daily NK English

Grain prices in North Korean marketplaces faltered briefly before the Lunar New Year in early February, but they are now moving upward again. The upward swing has sparked speculation that the country has entered the “barley hump,” a period of food shortages that lasts until the spring harvest.  According to Daily NK’s regular survey of North Korean market prices, a kilogram of rice was trading for KPW 5,000 at a marketplace in Pyongyang on Feb. …