Punjab Apna Kisan Bank 2026: Interest-Free Farm Loans, DAP Limit Raised to Rs33,500

Punjab’s farmers received one of the biggest financing announcements of the year on 28 October 2026, when Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz announced the province’s first Apna Kisan Bank along with a Rs17 billion subsidised agricultural loan package. The announcement was made during a meeting with representatives of small, medium and large farming communities from across Punjab, and it also raised the Kisan Card loan limit for DAP fertiliser and promised implementation of the Rs4,500 per maund wheat support price. This article explains exactly what was announced, where different news reports disagree, and what has not been announced yet.

The Announced Financing Structure

According to the latest official announcement, farmers will be able to obtain agricultural loans at concessional rates through the Punjab Urban Unit under the proposed arrangement. The structure reported by Dawn, Business Recorder, The News and Pakistan Today is consistent across these outlets:

• Zero markup: Loans of up to Rs10 million at zero markup.
• Two per cent: Loans of up to Rs30 million at two per cent interest.
• Five per cent: Loans of up to Rs50 million at five per cent interest.
• Total package: Rs17 billion in subsidised loans, expected to benefit farmers cultivating around five million acres.
• First of its kind: Apna Kisan Bank is Punjab’s first dedicated bank for farmers.
• Kisan Card base: More than one million small farmers are already benefiting from the Kisan Card scheme, which lets them buy fertiliser, seeds and pesticides without relying on middlemen.

Loan Tiers at a Glance

The Reported Higher Ceilings: Read Carefully

Farmers should know that not every report agrees on the loan ceilings. While Dawn, Business Recorder, The News and Pakistan Today report the Rs10 million, Rs30 million and Rs50 million tiers, the official APP news agency report carried higher ceilings of Rs100 million at zero markup, Rs300 million at two per cent and Rs500 million at five per cent. Both versions are reported here honestly, and neither should be treated as finally settled until the Punjab government publishes the bank’s formal terms. Applicants should wait for the official notification before planning borrowing around any particular ceiling.

What Else Was Announced on 28 October

• DAP limit raised: The Kisan Card loan limit for purchasing DAP fertiliser rises by Rs3,500 per acre, from Rs30,000 to Rs33,500 per acre.
• Wheat support price: The government will ensure implementation of the wheat support price of Rs4,500 per maund in coordination with the federal government.
• Agro-parks: New agro-parks are planned in Sargodha, Bhakkar, Khanewal and Okara to improve farmers’ returns through grading, storage and value addition for mangoes, kinnows, oranges and potatoes.
• Mechanisation: Rs70 billion has been allocated for high-tech agricultural mechanisation, and 25,000 tractors have already been provided on subsidy, with the Green Tractor Scheme to be expanded.
• Tenant farmers: Inclusion of tenant farmers was discussed at the meeting, but final rules for their participation have not been published yet.
• No agri income tax pressure: The Chief Minister said the government had resisted pressure to impose agricultural income tax on farmers.

Other Announcements at a Glance

What Has Not Been Announced Yet

• No application procedure: No application form, portal or branch process for Apna Kisan Bank loans has been published yet.
• No launch date: The bank’s formal launch date has not been announced.
• No eligibility list: Final eligibility rules, including the position of tenant farmers, are still pending.
• No procurement portal: No separate wheat procurement portal has been announced so far; the support price is to be implemented in coordination with the federal government.
• Do not confuse: The Kisan Card’s existing support, including the Rs400 billion provided to farmers over the past two years, is separate from this new Rs17 billion bank package.
• Stay alert: Farmers should rely only on Punjab government notifications and avoid paying any agent who promises early loan approval.

Contact and Helpline Details

Conclusion

Apna Kisan Bank is a genuinely significant announcement for Punjab’s farmers, with interest-free borrowing up to Rs10 million and a Rs17 billion subsidised package behind it. But the honest position today is that the bank has been announced, not launched: loan ceilings differ between reports, and no application procedure exists yet. Farmers should welcome the DAP limit increase and the wheat support price commitment, and wait for the Punjab government’s formal notification before acting on the bank’s loan tiers.

FAQs

What is Apna Kisan Bank?
Punjab’s first dedicated bank for farmers, announced on 28 October 2026 with a Rs17 billion subsidised loan package.

What are the reported loan tiers?
Up to Rs10 million at zero markup, up to Rs30 million at two per cent and up to Rs50 million at five per cent, as reported by Dawn, Business Recorder, The News and Pakistan Today. APP reported higher ceilings, so final tiers await official confirmation.

Has the DAP limit changed?
Yes. The Kisan Card loan limit for DAP fertiliser rises from Rs30,000 to Rs33,500 per acre, an increase of Rs3,500 per acre.

Can farmers apply for Kisan Bank loans now?
No. No application procedure, portal or launch date has been published yet.