According to new data from the Department of the environment, food and agriculture of the UK (Defra), the contribution of the country's agri-food sector to the national economy is almost 122 billion pounds.

The National Farmers Union (NFU) has published new Defra statistics as part of its farm status report.

He warned that as a result, the strategic importance and economic value of the British food and agricultural industry should not be overlooked in the upcoming discussions about Brexit.

NFU President Minett Butters said: “The latest Defra data underscores the importance of the British food and agricultural industries, both nationally and globally, and its value must not be forgotten when we return to the Brexit discussion.”

“Given the value of agriculture to the UK economy and the huge number of people employed in agriculture, we must ensure that food and agriculture in the UK are at the forefront of the Brexit negotiations when the House of Commons returns to this issue and negotiations resume in earnest” - added Minette Butters.