Verka milk gets costlier across Punjab from Friday morning, November 13. The Punjab State Cooperative Milk Producers' Federation (Milkfed), which sells milk under the Verka brand, has raised the maximum retail price of several pouch variants by Rs 1 to Rs 8, according to a circular issued on Thursday and reported by ANI and The Tribune.

Source: ANI and The Tribune via Jugti

Inshorts, summarising the same revision, said Verka had increased the MRP of several pouch milk variants by Rs 1 to Rs 8 effective from Friday, applying to Punjab and adjoining areas including Haryana and Delhi-NCR, and noted that the move follows Amul and Mother Dairy raising milk prices by Rs 2 to Rs 4 per litre from November 12.

Source: Inshorts

The new Verka prices

For 500 ml pouches, full cream milk rises from Rs 36 to Rs 38 and standard milk from Rs 33 to Rs 35. Toned milk goes from Rs 30 to Rs 31, double toned from Rs 27 to Rs 28, cow milk from Rs 31 to Rs 33 and skimmed milk from Rs 24 to Rs 25.

Rs 38Full cream, 500 ml (was Rs 36)
Rs 35Standard, 500 ml (was Rs 33)
Rs 31Toned, 500 ml (was Rs 30)
Rs 76Full cream, 1 litre (was Rs 72)

For one-litre packs, full cream milk goes from Rs 72 to Rs 76 and standard milk from Rs 65 to Rs 69, while toned milk now costs Rs 61. Larger packs have also been revised, as per the circular.

Where the rates apply, and why

The revised rates apply in Punjab, adjoining areas and Delhi-NCR, including Chandigarh, Panchkula, Mohali, Kalka and Ropar, ANI reported. Milkfed said the revision followed a video conference meeting held to compare rates with other prominent dairy players in Punjab and nearby areas.

This is the second Verka increase in less than a year, The Tribune noted: Verka milk was made Rs 2 per litre dearer in May this year. Reports on the wider round of dairy hikes point to higher input costs, including cattle feed, packaging and fuel. Karnataka's Nandini raised toned milk by Rs 8 per litre earlier this month.

For households in Punjab, where Verka is among the most common milk brands, the change adds directly to the monthly kitchen budget from today: a family buying one 500 ml full cream pouch a day will pay Rs 2 more per pouch than it did on Thursday.