HEBRON (Ma'an) -- The Palestinian Authority Ministry of Agriculture opened its first laboratory for testing meat and dairy products to meet international standards, officials said Wednesday.

The project, support by US development agency USAID, converted a storage facility in Al-Arrub technical college near Hebron into a laboratory, a USAID statement said.

Through international accreditation with the International Organization for Standardization, the facility will help exporters obtain necessary
health and safety certificates to expand into international and Israeli markets.