North Korea's State-Run Food Distribution System Struggles to Meet Demand

In North Korea's state-run food distribution system, grain sales stations have become the sole source of staple foods like rice and corn for households. These stations were first introduced in some regions around 2019 as part of a shift towards a state monopoly on food distribution, away from market-centered sales.

Initially, prices at these stations were set slightly lower than market prices, but deliveries were irregular, and quality was poor. By 2021, the system shifted to fixed-quantity sales once a month, with each household able to purchase about a 10-day supply of food for around two-thirds of market prices.

However, by January 2023, the sale of food in markets had been banned, and people's food purchases were restricted to grain sales stations. Despite this, sales volumes remained unstable, and deliveries failed to meet demand. The state struggled to secure enough food to achieve a full monopoly on distribution, leading to a reliance on covert circulation of food held by farms, farm workers, and enterprises.

By 2025, sales volumes at grain sales stations had stabilized, allowing households to purchase the amount needed for daily life, provided they had money. However, white rice deliveries remained scarce in northern provinces like Ryanggang and North Hamgyong, with corn becoming the primary staple food sold instead. The rise in prices has become a pressing issue for ordinary citizens.