While the NFU fears the government is "sleepwalking into further food supply crises", environment secretary, Dr Thérèse Coffey is backing supermarkets, saying "it is not the role of government to provide free food.”

In November food price inflation hit a new high of 12.4 per cent but supermarkets are not passing on their profits to farmers who are experiencing rocketing costs.

But in an environment food and rural affairs committee of MPs yesterday (Tuesday) Dr Coffey said that supermarket competition is good for shoppers: "I am not going to be particularly critical of supermarkets – overall, having a competitive supermarket environment has done a lot to help consumers.

“I don’t think we are at the stage of a market intervention directly when it comes to pricing.”

“It is not the role of government to provide free food.”

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The same day, president of the NFU, Minette Batters issued the government with a stark warning - back British food production in order to secure a home-grown supply of sustainable food or risk seeing more empty shelves in the nation’s supermarkets.

Ms Batters said: “Shoppers up and down the country have for decades had a guaranteed supply of high-quality affordable food produced to some of the highest animal welfare, environmental and food safety standards in the world.

"That food, produced with care by British farmers, is critical to our nation’s security and success - but British food is under threat.

“Only last week, the former Director General of MI5, The Baroness Manningham-Buller, said that food is part of our critical national infrastructure and that government needs to be consistent in planning for our food supply. I couldn’t agree more, particularly at a time when global volatility is threatening the stability of the world’s food production, food security and energy security.

“We have already seen the egg supply chain crippled under the pressure caused by these issues and I fear the country is sleepwalking into further food supply crises, with the future of British fruit and vegetable supplies in trouble.

"We need government and the wider supply chain to act now - tomorrow could well be too late.”