Officials at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization say North Korea has reduced the amount of food it gives to its people.Cristina Coslet is the FAO's Global Information and Early Warning System officer for Far East Asia.Ms. Coslet spoke to VOA by telephone. She said North Korean officials told the FAO that food rations for July are 310 grams per person per day.That is a 25 percent decrease from June. The average food ration between January and June 2015 was 410 grams daily.Ms. Coslet said a severe drought is affecting the country's crop production. She said early planted crops - wheat, barley, potato - decreased considerably.She said she expected this year's production of potatoes and winter wheat to drop by more than 20 percent from last year.The FAO official said the early season harvest is a small but important food source for North Koreans.In her words, "spring crops are vital for food security, being an important food source for the lean season, which stretches from May to September."
