Peder Ludvik Kolstad (28 November 1878 – 5 March 1932) was a Norwegian politician from the Agrarian Party.

[1] At the Agrarian Association's congress in Kristiansand in 1920, he played an important role in the process that led to the decision that the organization should nominate its own list in the 1921 Norwegian parliamentary election, leading to the establishment of the Farmer's Party.

He served as secretary for the Farmers' Party's parliamentary group in all his years in Parliament and was elected President of the Odelsting in 1931.

[1] As finance politician, Kolstad like his party argued for austerity, in particular he wanted to reduce public administration[4] He led the majority in the Farmer's Party that supported the Liberal Mowinckel's Cabinet's decision to return the Norwegian krone to the gold standard in 1928 after convertibility had been suspended after World War I.

[10] The Mowinckel Cabinet had granted the Norwegian company Lilleborg concession to buy De-No-Fa's oil mill in Fredrikstad and at the same time given concession for De-No-Fa, which was 50% owned by the Dutch company Unilever, to acquire half the shared in Lilleborg.

[12] On 26 May 1923, the newly established Det Norske Ishavsråd (English: The Norwegian Arctic Council) published a proposal to that Norway should claim sovereignty over part of the area near Scoresbysund.

The Farmer's Party had a post in their program that Norway should assert historical rights in Greenland and whaling interest in the Arctic Oceans.

In Menstad near Porsgrunn, Norsk Hydro hired temporary workers to unload a number of ships.

After the police officers were attacked by stones and sticks on 8 June, the cabinet sent military forces to the place – soldiers and four vessels – which calmed the situation.

[14] Although Quisling was not prominent in making the decision, as Minister of Defence the non-socialist parties gave him most of the credit while he became considered an enemy by the labour movement.

[13] To support Norwegian farmers, the cabinet proposed that all margarine sold in Norway should contain a certain percentage of butter.

The Liberal Party initially opposed the increase, but after Kolstad threatened to resign over the issue a compromise was reached.

[16] In December 1923, Kolstad was informed that the large banks Bergens Privatbank and Den norske Creditbank were in grave financial troubles.