China lifts ban on Washington apples

China on Friday announced that it is lifting a suspension on red and golden delicious apple imports from Washington state.    China on Friday announced that it is lifting a suspension on red and golden delicious apple imports from Washington state. 
   In 2012, China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine suspended access for Washington red and golden delicious apples due to the repeated interception of three apple pests — speck rot, bull’s-eye rot and Sphaeropsis rot. 
   To lift this suspension, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service worked with the U.S. apple industry to develop additional safeguards to address China’s concerns about these pests. Some of the new measures include cold storage and visual inspection of apples prior to shipping to ensure there is no evidence of disease.
   According to USDA, the Chinese market for Washington apples was valued at $6.5 million in 2011.