BEIJING, May 20 Reuters China39;s exports to North Korea soared in April from a year earlier, with wigs and fertiliser among major shipments, Chinese customs data showed on Saturday.

Chinese outbound shipments to the isolated country surged 69 yearonyear to 166 million in April, data released by China39;s General Administration of Customs showed.

The top export items in terms of value were processed hair and wool used in wigs, worth about 11.6 million, and diammonium hydrogen phosphate, a widely used fertiliser, worth 8.84 million.

Pyongyang purchased 5.07 million of rice from China in April.

In JanuaryApril, Chinese exports to North Korea leapt to 603 million from 270.59 million a year earlier, according to the customs data.

North Korea has long suffered from food insecurity and South Korea39;s DongA Ilbo newspaper reported in midFebruary that Pyongyang39;s food crisis may have deteriorated.

The country has been under U.N. sanctions for its missile and nuclear programmes since 2006.

Reporting by Dominique Patton and Siyi Liu; Editing by Jacqueline Wong

Source Reuters