# Kisan Card DAP loan raised to Rs 33,500 an acre, Punjab announces Apna Kisan Bank and interest-free farm loans

Source: Searchable (https://searchable.pk/news/economy/kisan-card-dap-loan-raised-to-rs-33500-an-acre-punjab-announces-apna-kisan-bank)
Type: News article
Author: Searchable Editorial
Published: 28 Oct 2026
Updated: 28 Oct 2026
Retrieved: 28 Oct 2026

> Maryam Nawaz's package for farmers: zero-interest loans up to Rs 10 million, Rs 150 billion for wheat growers, 50,000 tractors and a bank of their own. Here is what each step means for a grower.

**Punjab will raise the Kisan Card loan for DAP fertiliser by Rs 3,500 to Rs 33,500 an acre, set up the province's first Apna Kisan Bank and give interest-free loans of up to Rs 10 million**, Chief Minister **Maryam Nawaz Sharif** announced on Wednesday 28 October at a meeting with small, medium and large farmers, [ARY News reported](https://arynews.tv/interest-free-loans-among-10-relief-initiatives-announced-for-punjab-farmers). "Kisan Card" is searched about 5,400 times a month in Pakistan, Semrush shows, and the changes land just as wheat sowing begins.

## The package at a glance

| Measure | What was announced |
|---|---|
| Kisan Card DAP loan | Rs 33,500 an acre, up from Rs 30,000; about 1 million farmers, 5 million acres, Rs 17 billion |
| Loans through PAVET | Interest-free up to Rs 10 million; 2% up to Rs 30 million; 5% up to Rs 50 million |
| Wheat growers | Interest-free loans worth Rs 150 billion for wheat cultivation |
| Apna Kisan Bank | Punjab's first bank for farmers (no date given) |
| Tractors | 25,000 already given under subsidised schemes; 50,000 under the Green Tractor Scheme |
| Machinery | Rs 70 billion for high-tech mechanisation, including crop-residue equipment |
| Wheat price | Rs 4,500 per 40 kg will be enforced |

## What it means in rupees

**On fertiliser:** for a farmer with 12.5 acres (about five hectares), the higher Kisan Card limit means up to **Rs 43,750 more** to spend on DAP this season (12.5 x Rs 3,500), and a total limit of **Rs 418,750**.

**On machinery loans:** a Rs 10 million loan through PAVET carries no interest at all. A Rs 30 million loan at 2% costs about **Rs 600,000 a year** in interest before any repayment of principal, and Rs 50 million at 5% about **Rs 2.5 million a year**. You can model the instalments on our [personal loan calculator](/tools/finance/personal-loan-calculator).

The chief minister said loan recovery under her schemes has been close to 100%, and that more than a million small farmers already use the Kisan Card for fertiliser, seed and pesticide.

## Water, olives and smog

The package also promises:

- a continued **campaign against water theft**, so tail-end farmers get their share, with canal desilting, lined watercourses and more high-efficiency irrigation;
- **400 mini dams** completed in Potohar, with a target of 1,000, and a **Potohar package** for olive growing and olive oil extraction;
- **mobile soil and water testing laboratories**.

She also asked farmers not to burn crop residue. Lahore was again the world's most polluted major city this week, with the AQI near 300 (our [Lahore AQI report](/news/health/lahore-aqi-hits-296-worlds-most-polluted-major-city-again-as-smog-thickens)).

## Wheat price support

Maryam Nawaz said Punjab will ensure growers receive the **Rs 4,500 per 40 kg** support price agreed by the federal government and the provinces. On the same day, the first ship of imported wheat, 51,000 tonnes, reached Karachi, and the federal food minister said wheat prices should ease within days: see our [wheat price in Pakistan report](/news/economy/wheat-and-flour-prices-ishaq-dar-orders-provinces-to-raise-supply-and-act-on).

## What we do not know yet

No date, capital or branch plan was given for Apna Kisan Bank, and the eligibility rules for the new PAVET loan slabs were not published with the announcement. We will add them when the Punjab government notifies them. Until then, farmers should apply only through the official Kisan Card and Punjab agriculture department channels, not through agents.

## Frequently asked questions

**How much is the Kisan Card loan per acre now?**

Rs 33,500 an acre for buying DAP fertiliser, up from Rs 30,000, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz announced on 28 October 2026. The province expects about one million farmers to benefit.

**What is Apna Kisan Bank?**

A bank for farmers that the Punjab government says it will set up, the province's first. No date, capital or branch details were given when it was announced on 28 October 2026.

## Sources

- Interest-free loans among 10 relief initiatives announced for Punjab farmers (ARY News): https://arynews.tv/interest-free-loans-among-10-relief-initiatives-announced-for-punjab-farmers
- Wheat, flour prices expected to decline after imported wheat arrives (ARY News): https://arynews.tv/wheat-flour-prices-expected-to-decline-after-imported-wheat-arrives

How to cite: "Kisan Card DAP loan raised to Rs 33,500 an acre, Punjab announces Apna Kisan Bank and interest-free farm loans", Searchable, 28 Oct 2026, https://searchable.pk/news/economy/kisan-card-dap-loan-raised-to-rs-33500-an-acre-punjab-announces-apna-kisan-bank