A source close to North Korea says the food situation in the communist country is worse this year than last.

It said that the country is expected to produce between four-million and four-point-one million tons of food in 2008, 500-thousand tons short of last year, even with aid from the U.S.

The source said the North’s food output this year is greater than last because there was no flood damage this year, but this year's harvest still falls short of the country's average annual production level due to a fertilizer shortage.

Although North Korea has said that its food output will stand at around four-point-seven million tons, the estimate was for the weight of pre-polished rice.

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