Iconic Ford tops online bidding
Despite post-Brexit export barriers, Stags say the demand for second-hand machinery is still strong
ANOTHER highly successful online timed sale of tractors, vehicles, farm machinery and other general equipement has been completed by Stags auctioneers.
Over 600 lots were on offer and 487 of them were sold, resulting in a 76% clearance rate.
More than 42,000 people viewed the auction, with the final hours before closing on Sunday, January 24 being observed over 13,000 and resulting in buyers from as far afield as Southern Ireland, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Sussex, along with the usual local counties in the South West of England.
Stags’ team of auctioneers says strong demand for “genuine secondhand machinery” continues despite new export barriers being faced by both European and Northern Irish exporters since the UK’s split from the European Union. Exporters must now comply with the EU’s third country import requirements. This involves substantial additional paperwork and the need for each exported item of machinery to have a phytosanitary certificate (PC).
This certificate comes at a cost of £25.52 per certificate issued, with the inspection of each item costing a minimum of £63.80, payable for each 15-minute period spent carrying out the inspection and any associated activities including travel time, with a further minimum fee of £127.60 also enforced as an attendance fee.
These new rules will inevitably add substantial costs to anyone exporting singular or multiple items at a time to the European Union or Northern Ireland. This is without the additional cost involved with the process of ensuring machinery is cleaned and free from soil and plant debris in order to obtain a PC. A cost that can be very prohibitive for heavy or older machinery that requires extensive deconstruction and very thorough cleansing throughout the machine.
Despite the above, home demand remains strong and yet again buyers from across the nation battled it out to acquire genuine used equipment. An example of this saw a 1995 Case International 4230 tractor complete with Trima loader sold by a family farm in Tavistock achieve nearly double the vendors’ expectations, finally being purchased by a farmer from South East Cornwall.
Although a few European and Northern Irish buyers were active their bidding was conservative, maybe with the new rules hindering their confidence. Other strong and pleasing prices included a 1989 Ford 7810, which is fast becoming an iconic classic tractor, changing hands for a winning bid of £10,600.
The biggest sized item offered was a 30T Fiat Hitachi Excavator from a deceased estate in the Blackdown Hills. Sold as a non-runner, it drew a surprising amount of buyer interest and eventually commanded a huge price of £10,500, considering the amount of attention it requires. It was bought by a boat yard located on the South coast of England.
Stags hope to be able to resume their traditional public auctions in the near future and will continue to run the popular online auctions alongside these when able to do so.
In the meantime, if you require advice or have items to disperse, please do not hesitate to contact the South West’s online and on-site sales specialists. For further details, please visit the website www.stags.co.uk