North Korea doubled its cereal imports from China in July, bringing shipments to their highest monthly levels since August 2014, figures from Beijing’s customs administration compiled by the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) show.

The DPRK has upped its imports of cereals in recent months, a trade category which includes both maize and rice, amid reports of a drought that may have threatened crop production.

The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said in July that a severe three-month dry spell had limited crop planting in some areas, adding the North’s cereal producing