North Korea food rations fall short of U.N. recommendations

Feb. 8 (UPI) -- North Korea is still falling short of maintaining minimum daily rations for its population, according to the most recent data from the World Food Program.

The state distributed 400 grams daily per person in January, significantly below the U.N.-recommended amount of 600 grams daily per person. The reduced ration is 67 percent of the U.N.-recommended amount. That amount is also lower than North Korea's goal of 573 grams daily per person.

But food rations in January also rose 10 percent from the same period in 2016, Voice of America reported on Wednesday.

The increase in rations was helped by support from the U.N. agency.

In January the WFP distributed 2,560 tons of food across 63 North Korea counties in nine provinces. The international food aid added about an average of 100 grams of food a day to the North Korean diet, according to VOA.

But January data reflects a relative decline in food distribution. In December 2016 the U.N. agency donated 2,952 tons of food to 680,000 "vulnerable" North Koreans. Total food aid distributed in January reflects a 13 percent decline.

The World Food Program also said it provided food assistance in December to North Koreans still recovering from heavy floods that destroyed homes and left at least tens of thousands of people without shelter.

The U.N. agency said a lack of funds might lead to a suspension of aid projects by April, including the production of the nutrition bars it has been distributing to North Koreans.

The organization says it needs $129 million to fund North Korea food aid until December 2018. So far the agency has raised $24.7 million, or 19 percent of the U.N. target.