COIMBATORE: Farmers alleged that they are facing difficulties in obtaining crop loans from the primary agricultural cooperative societies (PACS) in recent days. They claimed that despite the government's efforts to digitalise applications for faster processing, staff in PACS return them, pointing out that server errors and procedural delays hit immediate approvals, leaving many unable to access funds for crops.
As part of digitalising the application process, the cooperative department has implemented an online application process for crop loans. The department provides up to Rs 2 lakh to a farmer based on the crops that he cultivates in his land without interest for 12 months.
Until January 2026, applications for crop loans were accepted manually by the PACS. During the process of manual application for crop loan, farmers need to wait up to 15 days to avail the loan after completing the application. After digitalisation, PACS now process their loan on the same day of application.
"After digitalisation, we have had to wait a minimum of 15 days to submit the application for crop loans due to server issues. While applying for the crop loan, we need to submit the chitta (the revenue record of a particular land) in the application. The step is also being delayed due to officials in the revenue department being on strike since last week," said R Mayilsamy, a farmer from Ambothi village in Annur Block.
R Periyasamy, vice president of Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam, said, "In recent days, farmers have restricted their loan limit based on the crops.
For instance, when a farmer seeks Rs 1.80 lakh under crop loan, he is sanctioned less than the sum he demands. He is asked to submit cultivated crop details with GPS location online. The crop loan limit is reduced due to changes in the crop cultivated."
When contacted, A Alagiri, Joint Registrar of the Cooperative Department, said, "We have enabled processing of applications online for the last one month. We have processed over 1,200 applications obtained online and settled loans so far.
Meanwhile, based on the farmers' grievance over server issues, we also permit them to submit their application offline, if any farmer has not been able to submit it for more than two days."
He added that the loan limit is sanctioned on the basis of the crops cultivated by farmers.