Mr Bradnock said: “The Chancellor’s focus on growth and support for British business is welcome. The poultry meat sector, like other agri-food sectors, has been suffering from the increasing cost of grain.

"This has impacted on the cost of food and helped to push up inflation further than originally expected by the OBR. An additional cut in corporation tax will help to relieve some of this pressure, subsequently supporting the poultry meat and other rural farming sectors.

“However, we are disappointed by the Government’s failure to change the VAT rules on rotisserie chicken. This 20 per cent tax hike in British chicken reared in British farms and bought freshly cooked in the supermarkets has hit shoppers and farmers.

"We will continue our campaign to get the Government to reverse this unfair tax.”