Pyongyang, May 8 (KCNA) -- A reporter of the Korean Central News Agency had an interview with Jang Yong Chol, director of the Academy of Agricultural Sciences, as regards the issue of protecting crops from drought persisting in most parts of the DPRK.

The director said that to overcome drought damage is not merely an economic and practical matter for increasing the grain production but an important political issue for attaining the goal of grain production set by the Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea and realizing the Party's plan.

He went on:

First of all, it is important to concentrate all forces and means on the campaign against drought, secure enough water resources and take thorough measures to water the crops.

It is necessary to give top priority to the supply of the necessary fuel and farm machine parts and make effective use of all available means to water the crops in a qualitative way.

Precedence should be directed to perfecting the irrigation system and increasing the operation rate of pumping equipment. And it is essential to install auxiliary water supply facilities such as water holes, wells and tube wells and introduce a water-jetting system, irrigation system with sprinklers and furrow irrigation system to suit the actual conditions of the fields.

It is required to dam the rivers to create reservoirs and reduce the water loss to the maximum through the responsible repairs to the floodgates of reservoirs and waterways, reconfirm the state of securing and supplying water and manage water in a responsible manner.

He also stressed the need to make efforts to improve the nutritive conditions of crops. -0-