The EU will continue to donate essential food products to Malta’s needy for at least another two years following an agreement reached among member states.

Since 2005, the island’s poor have benefited from hundreds of thousands of euros worth of foodstuffs such as flour, milk, rice and cereals under the EU Food Aid Programme.

However, the programme came under threat as some member states were against its extension.

Both Germany and the UK wanted to end the programme this year but Malta and France were both staunchly in favour of extending it.

The amount of aid reaching Malta will add up to €600,000 each year.