North Korea’s food production total for this year is expected to increase 17 percent from last year thanks to a good harvest of potatoes.

An official at the North’s Ministry of Agriculture said this year’s harvest is expected to stand at around four-point-six million tons, up more than 600-thousand tons from last year.

The official said 92 tons of potatoes were harvested per hectare this year, up seven tons from 2007. He added that bean production also fared well but is still short of the amount needed.