About 1.36 million tons of additional grain is needed to make up for food shortages in North Korea this year, a joint report by U agencies showed Friday.

North Korea is estimated to have produced 4.9 million tons of food crop last year, the lowest level since 2008, and must import about 1.59 million tons of cereal this year to feed its people, but only 200,000 tons of commercial imports and 21,200 tons of assistance is planned, according to the report jointly published by the World Food Program and the Food and Agriculture Organization.

"The uncovered deficit for the full marketing year is estimated at an elevated level of about 1.36 million metric tons," the report said.

The report also said 10.1 million North Koreans, or 40 percent of the country's total population, is in need of food assistance.

"Production prospects for the 2018-2019 early season crops -- to be harvested in June -- are unfavorable due to widespread low rainfall and lack of snow cover, which left crops exposed to freezing temperatures during winter," the report said.

In February, North Korea's top envoy to the United Nations, Kim Song, requested emergency food assistance, saying that his country will suffer a food shortage estimated at around 1.5 million tons this year.

The UN.agencies dispatched officials to North Korea for an emergency assessment of the country's food shortage situation from March 29 to April 12.

(Yonhap)