North Korea imports of Chinese grain rising, data show

May 26 (UPI) -- North Korea's imports of grain from China are soaring.

Chinese customs data from the first quarter of 2017 indicate grain imports increased nearly fivefold from a year ago, Voice of America reported Friday.

North Korea stands by an official policy of self-sufficiency in agriculture, but the country's production may not be keeping up with domestic demand – a trend that began in 2016.

From January to April, North Korea imported 10,619 tons of grain, a dramatic increase from the same period in 2016, when North Korea imported 2,258 tons of grains, including flour and corn.

In April alone, North Korea imported 4,100 tons of grain from China, up from 754 tons in April 2016.

April imports included 1,542 tons of rice, 1,506 tons of corn, 750 tons of flour and 304 tons of starch.

Imports of fertilizer from China are down year on year.

North Korea imported 87,000 tons of fertilizer from China between January and April, a 40 percent decrease from 150,000 tons a year ago.

While food exports are permitted under international sanctions, the United States is seeking to "pre-negotiate" tougher embargoes against North Korea with China at the United Nations Security Council, the Financial Times reported Friday.

"We're discussing with them a new U.N. Security Council resolution that would be pre-negotiated so we wouldn't have to undergo this very lengthy delay between the time that something happens and the time we can actually draw up a [resolution]," said Susan Thornton, acting assistant secretary for east Asian and Pacific affairs.

The United States wants to impose secondary sanctions against specific Chinese firms that profit from abetting the North Korean regime's weapons program.