SPAIN'S ministry of agriculture says it is considering legal action against Germany for the 'speculation' that cucumbers imported from Málaga and Almería are responsible for an E.Coli outbreak in the north of the country, which has so far claimed 10 lives.

Secretary of State for Rural Affairs and Water, Josep Puxeu, has slammed the 'obstacles' that other European countries are now putting in place over fruit and vegetable exports from Spain.

He calls it 'irresponsible' and 'brutal', and says the E.Coli claims are causing serious damage to the farming industry in Spain.

“You cannot demonise a production system which is absolutely serious, reliable and fully audited, through speculation,” states Puxeu.

He recalled that only Germany is affected, as well as isolated cases in the UK, Sweden, Denmark and Holland.

“If it is Spanish produce causing the epidemic, why are there no cases of E.Coli in Spain?” Puxeu wonders.