North Korea, which is suffering chronic food shortages, called Monday for all-out efforts to reap a good harvest, which it said was the most urgent task facing the communist country.
"Autumn-harvesting is the most important task," the impoverished North's ruling party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, said in an editorial.
The reclusive nation is grappling with acute food shortages and a declining economy. It suffered a full-scale famine in the 1990s which killed hundreds of thousands and needs foreign aid to help feed its 23 million people.
Chronic food shortages worsened this year following floods and shortages of fertiliser last year.
The UN's World Food Programme says hunger is at its worst since the famine years, with up six million people in immediate need.
Rodong Sinmun also quoted leader Kim Jong-Il as saying North Korea should mobilise "all available capability" for the autumn-harvest.
It did not say when Kim made such remarks -- he remained out of the public eye Monday amid heightened speculation over his health.