North Korean imports of Chinese grains and cereals increased in April, following a period of relatively depressed levels of trade, data from China’s customs agency compiled by the Korean International Trade Association (KITA) show.

Although 2016 bucked the trend, previous NK News reports have highlighted a downward shift in DPRK imports of cereals from neighboring China in recent years. The first four months of 2017 also showed lower imports than their 2016 counterparts.

But, according to KITA, imports increased in April to nearly $1.2 million, up from $739,000 in March and just $141,000 in February.

“The April-July period