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)