North Korean farmers in Hoeryong are protesting a recent order to double night patrols and set up stationary guards to protect the corn harvest, calling it unrealistic. The order, issued last month by the city’s agricultural management committee, is aimed at safeguarding the fall corn harvest, which began on Aug. 20.
In issuing the order, the city’s agricultural management committee said the “key to ensuring the maximum grain harvest is to prevent thieves from stealing the crop,” a source in the province told The Daily NK recently, speaking on condition of anonymity.
However, when Hoeryong farmers received the order, they complained that increasing patrol personnel would not reduce theft.
Farmers said that without state protection or compensation for injuries sustained while confronting thieves, no one would risk guarding the crops effectively.
In fact, farmers on patrol will often keep their distance if they see villagers eating food in the fields at night. Even when they know thieves have entered, they pretend not to see them or signal them not to approach by using a flashlight to point in their direction, not the thieves, the source said.
“This is because farm workers receive small shares of the harvest, even though the yields are high. Farm workers have no sense of ownership because their share of the harvest is always disappointing, regardless of the farm’s yield.
They can also be injured or even killed while patrolling to protect the corn, so they take great care to avoid harm as much as possible.
Farm workers also complain about guarding the collective fields because they worry about their own private plots.