Over 2,000 tons of pears grown in north China's Hebei Province have
been exported to the United States via Tianjin port, the first
since the US banned imports in 2001 because of a disease in the
imported fruit.
The shipments have resumed under a bilateral agreement signed in
mid-October.
With the help of government departments and experts, proper
measures were taken by Chinese farmers and processors to control
the disease.
Agricultural officials and experts from the United States inspected
the production, processing and storage conditions in Hebei, a major
pear producing region, in May and September this year, leading to
the signing of the agreement removing the ban.
(Xinhua News Agency November 17, 2002)