The Punjab government today introduced a groundbreaking financial program offering farmers and agricultural companies access to interest-free loans of up to Rs. 3 crore to acquire advanced farming technology, a move aimed at transforming the province”s agricultural backbone.

The initiative was formally inaugurated by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, who launched Punjab”s first-ever High-Tech Farm Mechanization Financing Program Portal through a digital ceremony. Speaking at the event, she declared that the financing scheme would signal the start of an agricultural revolution in Punjab, underscoring her administration”s firm commitment to modernizing the sector.

During a comprehensive briefing, the Secretary of Agriculture outlined the specifics of the financial package. The interest-free loans are structured with a generous six-month grace period before repayments commence. The repayment schedule is spread over a five-year term, with installments due on a quarterly basis. Applications for this funding are open to individual farmers, agricultural service providers, and agri-companies through the newly established dedicated portal.

Officials informed the Chief Minister that the program incorporates state-of-the-art agricultural equipment from a wide array of international manufacturers. This includes machinery from 27 companies in China, 10 from Turkiye, five from Italy, and additional suppliers from Japan, the USA, Brazil, Spain, and Belarus, ensuring access to global technology.

The catalog of available high-tech machinery is extensive, covering 12 different categories to meet diverse farming needs. The list includes essential equipment such as wheat combine harvesters, multi-crop planters, rice transplanters, and nursery machines. Also available are rice harvesters, wheat straw balers, maize cob harvesters, and silage harvesters. The scheme further extends to specialized tools like maize cob dryers, orchard pruners, orchard air blast sprayers, central pivot irrigation systems, and high-power tractors.