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<p>The UK's current production to supply ratio is 76% for indigenous-type foods and
60% for all foods. This has been stable for two decades and is not low in the context
of the last 150 years; in the inter-war period, the rate was as low as 30-40%.</p><p>
</p><p>Self-sufficiency is not in itself an indicator of food security. The UK has
historically been a net importer of food and it sources from a diverse range of stable
countries. This approach will continue once we leave the EU. Achieving increased self-sufficiency
in indigenous products would not insulate us from certain types of shocks. For example,
severe weather and disease can have an impact on harvests and yields.</p><p> </p><p>We
have recently launched a new consultation, ‘Health and Harmony: The Future for Food,
Farming and the Environment in a Green Brexit’ which sets out the proposed policy
framework for agriculture after the UK leaves the EU. The Government is committed
to boosting the productivity of UK agriculture through a strong focus on science,
research and innovation, and by developing targeted transitional policies that reflect
our farmers’ needs and allow them to grow more, sell more and export more of our fantastic
British food.</p>
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