Farmers in the northern parts of Malta are still counting the cost after a hailstorm last week devastated their crops and damaged their green houses.

Anglu Vella, a Mellieha farmer who tills several fields around Marfa, said crops such as green peppers and aubergines were devastated. Aubergines and green peppers hit by hailstones rot while the badly damaged plants are unlikely to revive and yield crops again.

Pumpkins that were ready to be picked from the fields or which were already picked and left on farm rooftops for later consumption or sale, have begun to rot where hailstones punctured their skin.

And to make matters worse, the hailstones also destroyed future crops. Rows of seedlings of marrows and other crops were ruined. Weeds have taken their place over the past week.

Some green houses had their perspex shattered as if it was machine-gunned.

"As if it's not enough that we are being paid a pittance when we sell our crops at the pitkali. This had to happen," he said.