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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| Tales from the rice paddy |
| 2005-06-14 |
| First, the good newsRice-transplanting Finished in Main Paddy Areas Pyongyang, June 13 (KCNA) -- Rice-transplanting has been finished in the main paddy areas of the DPRK. It has been wound up in the paddy fields except the first-crop fields and some highland areas of Jagang, Ryanggang and North Hamgyong provinces thanks to the patriotic and devoted work of the agricultural workers, KPA soldiers, government employees, working people and youth and students who turned out in response to the militant appeal of the Workers' Party of Korea to concentrate and enlist all efforts in agricultural production. The farms all over the country had hurled themselves into rice-transplanting in right time after making full preparations for spring farming such as repair and readjustment of tractors, rice-transplanting machines, etc. Rice-transplanting surged into a high tide with the powerful support of the whole party, army and people. When it entered a full-fledged stage, millions of supporters rushed to the cooperative fields every day and gave sincere help in farming. Transplanting was finished successfully in time in the west coast granaries such as Yonbaek, Jaeryong, Yoldusamcholli and Onchon plains in South Hwanghae and South Phyongan provinces. Officials made it possible to wind up rice-transplanting in time by giving intensified technical guidance coupled with mobile organization of work and frontline-style economic agitation on the cooperative fields astir with transplanting. Now the cooperative fields are animated with unabated strivings of agricultural workers and assistants tending transplanted rice seedlings with all care. Now, the bad news Abnormal Weather in Korea Pyongyang, June 13 (KCNA) -- Abnormal weather has been continuing in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the spring and summer, exerting an adverse effect on farming. Kim Si Chon, a section chief of the Technical Research Center for Agricultural Information under the Academy of Agricultural Sciences, told KCNA that cold air has blown into the Korean peninsula owing to the intensified Siberian high air pressure and northwest wind. It had delayed the spring season a week over the normal year and 10-15 days over last year, he said, and continued: The spring sowing, therefore, was delayed in the country as a whole. From April, the temperature largely changed due to the periodically alternate high and low air pressure. The rate of sunshine duration has been recorded as lower than the preceding years. On April 4, 16, and 30 the temperature rose and lasted for consecutive days and on April 13, 20 and May 6 the high temperature fell and continued for some days in Pyongyang and other west coast areas, the granary of the country. They adversely affected the growth of crops. Rarely strong winds blew in Kangwon Province and different northern areas, hindering preparations for rice-transplantation. The June average temperature is 1 2.2 degrees centigrade lower than last year's. the amount of rainfall in the first ten days of the month is 35-60 millimeters, a 30 percent higher than that of the normal year. And it is envisaged that the average rate of sunshine hours for the month is 41 percent slightly lower than the normal year's. Kim Si Chon said that this summer the temperature throughout the country might be low, rainy season might come earlier than the preceding years, torrential rains might be recorded to cause flood and cold-weather damage might occur in some areas of the east coast. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #3 I forsee a 30 percent loss of rice seedlings. They are nice and green and young and oh so good! |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-06-14 16:10 |
| #2 And here's Biff Jong Il with the weather. Take it away, Biff. Well, Jack, it doesn't look like we'll be eating anytime soon... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2005-06-14 12:40 |
| #1 But surely, since "the cooperative fields are animated with unabated strivings of agricultural workers and assistants tending transplanted rice seedlings with all care" they will overcome the imperialist-controlled weather. |
| Posted by: Bobby 2005-06-14 12:31 |