Farmers, Cooperative Society Secretaries stage protest in Ferozepur against New KCC Policy
Farmers demand withdrawal of KCC Policy 2026, restoration of affordable credit and removal of conditions for loans and DAP fertiliser
Ferozepur, October 28, 2026: Farmers’ organisations and secretaries of agricultural cooperative societies staged a joint protest outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Ferozepur on Wednesday, strongly opposing the conditions being imposed on farmers for availing crop credit limits and DAP fertiliser through cooperative societies. The protesters submitted a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister of Punjab through the Deputy Commissioner, seeking the withdrawal of the new Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Policy 2026.
The protest was organised jointly by the Punjab State Agricultural Cooperative Societies and various farmers’ organisations, including the Bharatiya Kisan Union Ekta Dakaunda, Krantikari Kisan Union, Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, Bharatiya Kisan Union Punjab, BKU Sidhupur, BKU Ugrahan, BKU Kadian, BKU Lakhowal, BKU Rajewal, BKU Sidhupur Dhallewal, All India Kisan Sabha, Kisan Sangharsh Committee, Kisan Sangharsh Committee Punjab (Kot Budha), Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, BKU Khosa and BKU Krantikari.
Addressing the gathering, various speakers including Gurdev Singh Sidhu, Baljinder Singh Dheru, Laljit Singh Warring, Avtar Singh Mehma said the new policy proposed charging farmers 11 per cent interest, which, they argued, would defeat the very purpose of providing affordable agricultural credit through cooperative institutions. They also objected to the increase in the membership share contribution in cooperative societies from Rs 3,300 to Rs 9,000, saying it would impose an additional financial burden on farmers.
The speakers further opposed conditions being introduced for KCC loans on the lines of private banks, including pledging agricultural land, routing crop sale proceeds through cooperative banks and submitting affidavits. They described these requirements as unfair to farmers and said they would make access to institutional credit more difficult.
The protesting organisations demanded that the KCC Policy 2026 be scrapped in its entirety and that crop credit limits be sanctioned according to the revised Scale of Finance. They also sought interest-free loans to farmers through agricultural cooperative societies on the lines of Rajasthan, where, they said, such a facility should be adopted.
Other demands included introducing a one-time settlement (OTS) scheme for defaulting members of agricultural cooperative societies, providing a financial package to revive defunct societies and ensuring that farmers receive timely credit for agricultural operations.
Keeping the ongoing sowing season in view, the protesters demanded that cooperative societies be permitted to conduct cash sales until the policy was withdrawn and farmers’ credit limits were sanctioned according to the revised Scale of Finance. They said farmers should not be deprived of essential agricultural inputs and credit because of policy-related restrictions during the crucial sowing period.
The leaders urged the Punjab Government to reconsider the policy and resolve the concerns of farmers and cooperative societies without delay.