Rationing in the United Kingdom Rationing in the United Kingdom Rationing was introduced temporarily by the British government several times during the 20th century, during and immediately after a war. At the start of the Second World War in 1939, the United Kingdom was importing 20,000,000 long tons of food per year, including about 70% of its cheese and sugar, nearly 80% of fruits and about 70% of cereals and fats. The UK also imported more than half of its meat, and relied on imported feed to support its domestic meat production. The civilian population of the country was about 50 million. It was one
Grain rationing in China However demand exceeded supply and the agricultural sector produced very inefficiently. The government tried to solve this problem by introducing a grain rationing system, combining consumer rationing and compulsory purchases from producers. The gradual development of a free market put an end to the rationing system and introduced dual prices. This is where the price-scissors phenomena emerged. Figures assume that there are only two sectors (rural and urban) producing two goods (manufactures and food) and that the supply of the two goods is fixed. The amount of food that a peasant household will sell in exchange for manufactured goods can