The Punjab farmers protest movement is set to intensify as the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), along with the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Ekta Ugrahan, announced a five-day demonstration campaign starting September 16.
The farmers’ groups said the protests will be held outside the residences of Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan and seven ministers of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.
The announcement comes just ahead of the paddy harvest season, when farmers are particularly dependent on uninterrupted electricity and adequate supplies of fertilizers.
Punjab Farmers Protest to Target Speaker and Seven Ministers
According to KMM, demonstrations will be held outside the homes of the following political leaders:
- Kultar Singh Sandhwan, Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker — Faridkot
- Harbhajan Singh ETO, Cabinet Minister — Jandiala
- Aman Arora, Cabinet Minister — Sunam
- Lal Chand Kataruchak, Cabinet Minister — Bhoa
- Ravjot Singh, Cabinet Minister — Hoshiarpur
- Gurmeet Singh Khuddian, Cabinet Minister — Muktsar
- Mohinder Bhagat, Cabinet Minister — Jalandhar
- Hardeep Singh Mundian, Cabinet Minister — Ludhiana
KMM convener Sarwan Singh Pandher said the farmers’ organisations would review the situation on September 16.
If the government does not respond to their demands, the unions could announce an “intense phase of agitation”, according to the group.
Power Supply Becomes Major Issue During Paddy Season
The immediate concern behind the latest Punjab farmers protest is the availability of agricultural electricity during the paddy season.
Farmers have repeatedly raised concerns over inadequate power supply during the crop cycle. Earlier in 2026, agricultural electricity availability reportedly fell to around two and a half to four hours a day in some areas during peak planting periods.
As a result, farmers were forced in some cases to rely on diesel-powered irrigation pumps. This increased cultivation costs at a time when input prices are already a major concern for agricultural households.
With paddy harvesting approaching, farmers’ groups are once again pressing the state government to ensure reliable electricity for agricultural operations.
Fertilizer Availability Also on Farmers’ Agenda
Fertilizer availability is another key issue driving the latest agitation.
The Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers said in June that fertilizer supplies to Punjab were above the assessed requirement. The figures cited by the ministry included 11.45 lakh metric tonnes of urea supplied against a requirement of 9.87 lakh tonnes.
Similarly, Punjab received around 1.80 lakh tonnes of DAP against an assessed requirement of 1.11 lakh tonnes, according to the ministry.
However, farmers and fertilizer dealers have continued to report periodic panic buying and localized shortages.
The Punjab Agriculture Department has, in part, attributed some of the pressure on urea supplies to the diversion of subsidized fertilizer for industrial use.
Farmers Demand MSP for More Crops
The KMM’s demands extend well beyond electricity and fertilizer.
One of its major demands is guaranteed government procurement at Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops such as:
- Basmati
- Maize
- Moong
- Mustard
- Potatoes
At present, the main MSP-backed procurement system is concentrated around crops such as wheat and paddy.
Farm unions have therefore continued to demand a broader procurement mechanism that provides farmers with greater price security for alternative crops.
Debt Waiver and Compensation Among Key Demands
The farmers’ organisations are also seeking a complete waiver of loans for farmers and agricultural labourers.
In addition, they have demanded compensation and government jobs for families of farmers and labourers who have died by suicide.
Another major demand is the withdrawal of the Punjab government’s Land Pooling Policy, which has faced opposition from sections of the farming community.
The KMM is also seeking the reopening of the Wagah trade route with Pakistan.
Furthermore, the union has opposed land acquisition for the Bharatmala highway project, alleging that agricultural land has been acquired without adequate compensation.
Punjab Farmers Protest Linked to Wider National Farm Issues
The latest agitation follows a separate farmers’ movement earlier in 2026.
Farmer groups associated with the Samyukta Kisan Morcha and other organisations had attempted to march towards Delhi from Punjab. Their movement was repeatedly stopped at the Punjab-Haryana border.
The protests were linked, among other issues, to provisions of a proposed India-US trade agreement.
Farm unions expressed concern that increased imports could affect domestic producers of dairy products, edible oils and processed food.
The government, however, has maintained that sensitive agricultural sectors such as dairy, rice, wheat and poultry remain protected under the proposed arrangement. It has also said that around 90 to 95 percent of India’s agricultural tariff lines are protected.
Despite these assurances, farmers’ organisations have continued to demand a legal guarantee for MSP.
Farmers Continue to Seek Legal MSP Guarantee
A legal guarantee for MSP remains one of the long-standing demands of several farmers’ organisations.
Farm unions have advocated an MSP framework based on the Swaminathan Commission’s cost-plus formula, arguing that farmers need assured returns that adequately cover cultivation costs.
The issue has remained a major point of contention between farmer organisations and governments.
In Punjab, the AAP-led state government has so far focused on discussions at the Chief Minister level. However, the KMM wants direct resolution of issues involving electricity and fertilizer supplies with the concerned authorities, including the state’s power utility and the Union government.
What Happens Next?
The five-day Punjab farmers protest is scheduled to begin on September 16.
The outcome of the farmers’ meeting on the same day could determine whether the agitation remains limited to demonstrations outside ministers’ residences or expands into a more intense campaign.
With the paddy season approaching, the availability of electricity and fertilizer is likely to remain at the centre of the dispute.
For the Punjab government, the immediate challenge will be to address farmers’ concerns while also managing the wider demands relating to MSP, debt relief, land acquisition and agricultural policy.
The September 16 meeting could therefore prove important in determining the next phase of the farmers’ movement in Punjab.
