David Littleproud says Woolworths should restock Norco milk

Nationals leader David Littleproud has urged shoppers to continue backing Norco milk, following its decision to open with double digit farmgate prices.

Woolworths should reconsider its move to ditch Norco milk from its Sydney outlets, National Party leader David Littleproud says, following a record high price paid to farmers.

Norco maintained a robust opening price of $12.35 per kilogram milk solids ahead of this month’s official start to the season.

The double-digit figure is far and above prices offered by competitors such as Saputo, Lactalis and Fonterra, which all opened between $7.80 and $8.30 per kilo milk solids.

Mr Littleproud, a former agriculture minister in the Morrison government, said shoppers should not only consider the prices they are paying but where the products that they are buying are coming from.

“News that Norco is holding a record high price for this coming season is extremely welcome. It is heartening also that Australians are backing a homegrown brand.

“The fact Norco has bounced back after its recent treatment from Woolworths shows just how strong this company is.

“We will not forget how we recently saw six-pack Woolworths mini-ice creams being imported from Slovenia, while ice cream tubs were being imported from New Zealand.

“Woolworths turned its back on Australian dairy farmers, at a time when price gouging from the farmgate to the supermarket checkout resulted in a much-needed Australian Competition and Consumer Commission inquiry.”

Federal National Party MP Kevin Hogan represents the Page electorate, where many of Norco’s farmers are based.

He echoed Mr Littleproud’s plea, noting that Norco were a standout performer at the farmgate this season.

“When we have great 100 per cent Australian owned businesses like Norco, we have great outcomes for our farmers,” Mr Hogan said.

“To ensure we allow this to continue though, we must support businesses like Norco and not turn our backs on them like we saw Woolworths do.”

Last season, the average price paid to Norco suppliers was 88 cents per litre, one of the highest farmgate milk prices ever received in Australia.

A Woolworths spokeswoman said the supermarket continued to sell Norco products in more than 240 stores in Northern NSW and Queensland.

She said while Woolworths did remove Norco milk from Sydney stores in February this year due to lower demand, it “simultaneously increased the number of Norco products sold in roughly 200 Queensland and northern NSW stores.”

“Today, we’re selling more Norco products each week than we did before this change, as we tailor our range to local demand,” the Woolworths spokeswoman said.

In Sydney stores, Woolworths continues to offer milk from Australian-owned dairies, including Riverina and Dairy Farmers.