MORE than 2000 farms and crofts are still waiting for the Scottish Government to pay them last year’s basic EU subsidies, it has emerged.

In response to a written parliamentary question, Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing confirmed 2228 businesses, or 12 per cent of those eligible, had yet to be paid.

Just over half those waiting had a loan from the government to help cover the delay.

The Scottish Government has been struggling to make Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payments for the last two years because of its bungled £170m IT project.

Farms and crofts in the Highlands & Islands are the worst affected by the hold-ups, with almost one in five in the Highlands still waiting for basic CAP payments from 2016/17.

North East LibDem MSP Mike Rumbles, who obtained the figures, said the figures were indicative of the “shambles” affecting CAP payments under the SNP.

He said: “Farmers across the Highlands & Islands and North East are fuming at the Scottish Government’s handling of these lifeline payments. It has been an agricultural aberration.

“The Cabinet Secretary must produce detailed plans for farming communities to scrutinise which explain how catastrophes like this will be prevented from occurring again.”

The Scottish Government insisted it was making “good progress” on issuing payments, with more than £350m paid out to almost 17,000 farmers, and more payments made each day.

A spokesperson said: “There will inevitably be some cases that are processed before others, and often the more complex cases are required to be individually processed which may take more time, and may require additional confirmation from the farmer or crofter

“It is important to note though that, through a combination of payments made to date and the national loan scheme, the vast majority of farmers have already received their money.”