THE DAIRY BOOM IS DRIVING LAND SALES, BUT THE TILLAGE CRISIS WILL HAVE AN IMPACT IN THE SOUTH-EAST

in the amount of land sold between July and December and an 81pc increase in the money generated.

Connacht had the opposite experience with 48pc less land sold in the second half of the year and a decline of 19pc on the average per acre price. Loughrea-based auctioneer Ger O’Toole agrees that dairy farmers are the most potent force in the land market, especially for bigger land holdings, as dairy- ing surges ahead. Munster had a very good latter end to the year with an increase of 61pc in the amount of land sold, an increase of 89pc in the amount of money generated and a 17pc increase in the per acre price.

Paddy Jordan of Jordan auctioneers saw a distinct difference between the first and second six months of 2017.

“It was a slow start to the year but there was strong finish with good prices and a string of sales achieved,” he says. He added that auction is the best way to sell farmland, but cautioned that “vendors have to be realistic about their expectations to bring in the buyers”.

Willie Coonan of Maynooth says owners of good land need have no fear of the auction process. “Quality land makes quality prices,” he said.

Castlecomer auctioneer Joe Coogan says that while the confidence in the dairy sector is driving land sales, the crisis in the tillage sector will have an impact in the south-east with a switch away from tillage.

Many grain farmers are now carrying some stock and are harvesting their own grain to feed them.

“The price of straw has been the only lifeline for tillage farmers this year,” he said.

Roscommon auctioneer John Earley says the boom in dairying is having an impact beyond the traditional dairy areas with large tracts of land being put together for milking operations in Roscommon.