Farmers hit by delays to European Union support payments will receive the money from the Scottish Government, the First Minister has announced.

Up to £200m will be available as cash advances while Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) claims are processed.

The payments have been affected by major issues with the £178m IT system set up to administer the new CAP payments.

Earlier, the Scottish Conservatives called for a full and independent inquiry into the "shambolic" situation.

Before a Holyrood debate on the issue on Wednesday, the Tories tabled a motion stating farmers across the country have "lost trust" in the ability of rural affairs secretary Richard Lochhead to deliver the funding before the end of the financial year.

Nicola Sturgeon confirmed the government support before a meeting with NFU Scotland on Tuesday.

She said: "The transition to a new, more complex CAP that is affecting payment schedules right across Europe is happening as farmers and crofters are dealing with poor market prices and challenging weather conditions.

"We are less than halfway through the payment window allowed by Europe and the majority of Scottish producers, more than 10,000, have already received a subsidy payment. However, payments are not being made as quickly as we would like.

"I very much recognise the cash flow issues facing Scottish agriculture, which underpins our £14bn food and drink industry.

"That is why the Scottish Government has earmarked up to £200m of national funds so that any farmer or crofter who has not received an instalment by the end of March will receive a nationally-funded payment from the Scottish Government in April."

Scottish Conservatives rural affairs spokesman Alex Fergusson said the SNP had "well and truly pushed the panic button".

"It was first warned two years ago that this IT system was not fit for purpose, and that has proved to be the case," he said.

"An extra £200m fund will not address that issue, and that is why we still need a full, independent inquiry into this.

"Although it has taken too long, we do welcome the support package, which appears to have come as a result of pressure from the Scottish Conservatives as well as the farming community."

Mr Lochhead said 10,146 farmers, around half of those entitled, had received first instalment payments as of Monday.

"I have always been clear that adding this extra complexity would prove extremely challenging to implement, but it is taking longer to make payments than we had hoped," he said.

"We are continuing efforts to speed up progress, such as taking on extra staff, but given the current difficulties facing Scottish agriculture the Scottish Government will use national funds to ensure farmers and crofters will receive support, totalling hundreds of millions of pounds, in the coming weeks."

Scottish Liberal Democrat rural affairs spokesman Tavish Scott said: "These payments are four months late. They could and should have been made in January or February or this month. But instead the delays have created financial chaos in the Scottish rural economy.

"This must now be the last rites for the Scottish Government's £178m computer that has utterly failed to deliver."