More than £1m of farm machinery was sold at an auction prompted by a streamlining collaboration between two East Anglian agricultural enterprises in the UK. Source: The Eastern Daily Press UK
The sale, held at JW Spencer Farms near Thetford, in the UK consisted of 17 tractors, a combine harvester, specialist root machinery and a range of cultivation equipment.
The auction followed a decision by the farming company, which operates on 3500 acres, to collaborate with Norfolk-based Greens Farming.
Auctioneer Chris Purllant, of sale organisers Brown and Co, said the quality second-hand machinery on offer met strong demand from farmer buyers, with some high-priced lots “comfortably exceeding expectations”.
“All the machinery was very well maintained,” he said. “Each of the tractors had been tidied up by the local main dealer ahead of the sale, and some were still under warranty.
“That made a big difference. We had over 350 people registered to bid on the day and many more waiting in the wings to make online bids.
“We saw some keen bidding as a result and some excellent prices.”
UK buyers came from as far afield as Aberdeenshire and Cornwall, while several keen bidders travelled from Ireland and mainland Europe, said Mr Purllant.
The day’s top price was achieved by a Claas Lexion 760TT, bought in 2011 and with 1500 hours on the clock, which made £120,500.
Meanwhile, a 2014 Fendt 936 with an extended warranty made £88,500 and a 2012 model made £71,800.
New Holland equipment was also popular among the bidders, with a T7.210 dating from 2013 sold to an Irish buyer for £38,900 and two sister tractors making £35,000 and £31,800.
The current squeeze on farm incomes meant increasing numbers of farmers were shunning even heavily discounted new machinery in favour of good quality used equipment, Mr Purllant said.
“Although we have seen a slight weakening of sterling, exporters are still thin on the ground. Farmers were very much to the fore on the day, as they have been all winter,” he said.
“Prices were probably top of the tree at this sale, which shows the value of looking after kit, especially given agriculture’s current economic climate.”
