Two West Midlands dairy units sold for well over their guide prices at auction last month, with Irish interest helping to drive up values.
Both farms were sold by Wright Manley and the firm’s John Lewis said demand in the area was still exceptionally strong despite falling milk prices.
“The logic doesn’t stack up, but then it never has.”
Bates Farm at Maer, near Newcastle, Staffordshire, which Mr Lewis auctioned on 6 July, had a pre-auction guide of £2m, but made £2.75m and at least one Irish farmer was among the bidders.
But it was a local businessman and farmer whose bid took the 447-acre farm, which included a five-bedroom house and 1m litres of quota.
In the case of Northwoods Farm at Audlem, Cheshire, however, Irish money did prevail.
On 31 July the 236-acre ring-fenced farm went under Graham Martyn’s gavel to a buyer from Northern Ireland for just over £2m, against a guide of £1.5m.
The farm came with 1.7m litres of quota and a five-bedroom house.

Posted: 08|8|06 at 8:32 am. Filed under: Farm & Agriculture.