The bombing continues toisrupted influence on agriculture and fishing. Reports on the food supply are conflicting. Some reports indicate serious shortages whils others suggest that supplies are adequate. In no case, however, have there been reports of severe hunger or starvation or any indication at the present time that the North Vietnamese will not be able to maintain at least theconsumption levels.
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Report* The next harvest of rice will be mediocre.
Unless immediate action is taken, insects will destroy the spring rice crop. |
Irrigation systems must be improved in order to prevent drought and spoilage rice. |
There did not seem to be much food in the stores and tn the restaurants. Outside Hanoi there wasittle meat.
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was an indication of food shortage in Haiphong. As coolies workedargo of soya beans, they were pilfering the beans and eating them raw.
Ships carrying food stuffs to North Vietnam neceived preferential One merchant ship carryingargoe completed discharge in about four days after arrival.
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port guard said that soya beans hadtaple in the diet in North Vietnam, and that while the young working population received sufficient quantities of food the older people were rationedubsistence level.
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diet of the Youth Volunteers who have some responsibility for repair work consists ofilos of rice, vegetables, soya nuts, and br.nanas. In spite of this adequate but limited subsistence, which is of course lower for noncadres, the bombing, and the monotonous work, the traveler was impressed by the health, determination, and high spirits of the populationhole.
Because the air strikes are affecting the North Vietnamese aconomy, the fishermen admitted often selling part of their catch on the black market in order to make ends meet, yet avoid serving as coastal shipping laborers despite monetary incentive because of the danger of air strikes.
{Note that for the first four monthsice is being importedate which would compensate for the estimated shortageons in6 rice crop,)
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Original document.
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