Ft.com: China's appetite for British milk, pork, Yorkshire tea and salmon led to a 12 per cent jump in food exports to the country last year but the industry says it needs more government support to exploit rising overseas demand.

Steve Barnes, economic and commercial services director at the Food and Drink Federation, the industry body, said the Chinese market was particularly attractive because it complemented British eating habits.

Mr Barnes says the Chinese diet is different — they tend to eat things that British don't consume, like chicken feet, pigs' faces, trotters and offal.