The U.N. World Food Program (WFP) has decided to open two more food factories in North Korea.

WFP’s Asia spokesman Paul Risley announced the plan in an interview with Radio Free Asia Monday.

Currently, the U.N. food agency is running seven food-processing plants in the North. The plants process biscuits and noodles to be distributed to children under the age of five, pregnant women and the elderly.

He said food shortages in the communist state are expected to worsen following last August’s heavy floods.

The WFP closed its 19 food factories in August 2005 after the North Korean government requested the agency to halt all monitoring of food distribution.

The agency and Pyongyang later agreed to reopen ten plants, but due to the lack of international assistance, only seven are currently in operation.