Far from plentiful (4)
(Other definitions for scarce that I've seen before include "Hard to get" , "Not often come across" , "Not enough to meet demand" , "Not plentiful, in short supply" , "Few and far between" .)
'far from plentiful' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is the entire clue.
(Other definitions for rare that I've seen before include "Very infrequent or scarce" , "Choice - lightly cooked - thin" , "Very lightly cooked, meat say" , "few and far between" , "Ben Jonson was considered so" .)