NORTHERN Tasmania is set to resume exporting fruit to Japan after the Asian nation reinstated the region’s fruit fly free status.

According to the office of agriculture minister David Littleproud, the news followed work from the Australian agriculture department, which resulted in Japan accepting fruit flies from northern Tasmanian had been eradicated.

Mr Littleproud said although the cherry season had finished, this was still good news.

“Growers in northern Tasmania can again sell fruit to Japan,” Mr Littleproud said.

“The best thing the Australian government can do for growers is give them options when they sell their produce. This means opening as many overseas markets as we can, and keeping them open when we have issues as we’ve had here.

“I congratulate the Australian officials for their hard work.”

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Last month it was reported that another Asian country, South Korea, had also agreed to resume importing fruit from Northern Tasmania.