Hailstorms on 29 and 31 August have damaged fruit and vegetable production in parts of south-eastern and north-eastern Spain.

On 29 August hail in Murcia damaged production on the slopes around Lorca, particularly vegetables, table grapes and almonds. Some sites lost up to 80 per cent of their crops and 5,200ha were affected in all, according to regional growers’ association Asaja Murcia.

In Catalonia, hail fell on some 630ha of apple and pear orchards, rendering much of the fruit unfit for sale to the fresh market.