South Korea lifts ban on Pacific Northwest grown potatoes

South Korea has lifted a ban against Pacific Northwest-grown potatoes used for things like potato chips, but a ban on other fresh potatoes still remains because of a fear over a bacterium known as zebra chip, state officials announced Wednesday during a phone conference from Gov. Chris Gregoire's trade mission.

Gregoire, talking to reporters by phone from South Korea, said the ban on potatoes grown in Washington state, Oregon and Idaho was lifted this week. South Korea put the ban in place in August.

The first shipments of potatoes should be leaving Sunday, officials said.