MOST wheat farmers are yet to access inputs under the government's US$26 million support programme, an official said on Thursday.

Under the facility, wheat producers are supposed to get fertilizer from the Grain Marketing Board at a subsidised price of US$15 for a 50kg bag.

Zimbabwe Famers Union (ZFU) vice president Alexander Kanengoni said farmers had failed to access the scheme and warned that the wheat harvest next season will drop sharply.

"Indications are that most famers have not received the inputs close to three months after the programme was launched," he said.

The scheme was announced by Agriculture Minister Joseph Made in April who insisted the programme would help double production this year.

"We are proposing that we target 26,280 hectares for winter wheat. This targeted hectarage should give us 75,000 tonnes," Made said then.

"This might sound little, but considering the 41,000 tonnes we got last year, this will be some improvement."

Kanengoni said ZFU was engaging relevant stakeholders to try and address the issue in order to improve the expected winter wheat yield.

"We are engaging stakeholders in the agricultural sector so as to avert the problems haunting the sector. We are working towards coming up with a type of scheme whereby famers will be accessing inputs on credit as most famers do not have the money," he said.

Government, Kanengoni said, had earmarked about 45,000 hectares for wheat this season, but the target is becoming increasingly illusive.

According to the Commercial Famers Union, the country imported at least 40,000 tones last year to meet national demand, which stands at 450,000 metric tones.

Apart from input shortages, power unavailability is challenge wheat farmers continue to face.

The country is unable to meet national power demand, and imports electricity from neighbouring countries to bridge the gap.