AS a humble cooking product, it was once the staple of many a pantry and the main ingredient in a thousand jokes.

But now it seems that demand for lard is soaring amid a nationwide shortage.

Supermarket chains, bakeries and chip shops are feeling the knock-on effect because of the shortage, which has been blamed on difficulties within the cattle fat rendering industry.

Wholesale suppliers have been forced to pass on a price rise to customers and import the product from Germany.

A spokeswoman for supermarket chain Tesco said: "It is true to say there is less lard available on our shelves.

"However, we are working with our suppliers to rectify the problem and ensure our customers get the products they want."

David Beedle, who along with brother Peter runs three family-owned chippies in Bishop Auckland and Shildon, County Durham, said: "This is affecting us because we only use best Irish beef dripping to fry our chips in the traditional way, as opposed to vegetable oil.

"What I can say is that the price we pay from our suppliers has definitely gone up, perhaps about 10 or 20 per cent.

"It's all about supply and demand and it obviously depends on the amount of animals that are being slaughtered and other factors such as fuel costs and labour.

"Despite the price increase we won't, however, use anything else because people tell us that it makes their chips taste the best."

The last serious shortage of the cooking fat came during the Second World War when the situation was so bad that it was rationed to 2oz per person a week.

A tub of lard was later famously used to stand in for the former Sheffield MP Roy Hattersley when the Labour politician failed to appear on the BBC TV satirical panel show Have I Got News For You?