International interest in Shropshire farm disposal auction
Buyers from Eastern Europe, Ireland and across the UK converged on a South Shropshire farm on Wednesday (September 21) for a dispersal auction of an "exceptional" range of quality farm machinery and implements.
Such was the level of competition from bidders from Shropshire, surrounding counties and East Anglia that all the overseas buyers left empty handed.
The auction was conducted by auctioneers Halls on behalf of Jon and Robin Fox at Folly Farm, Lydbury North, near Bishops Castle, following their decision to retire from farming. The couple have farmed at Folly Farm for 20 years and grown 500 acres of arable crops.
Leading prices were £80,000 for a 2004 Claas Lexion 520 Montana Combine, £50,000 for a 2006 Bargam 3000MC self propelled sprayer and £32,800 and £28,500 for 2007 and 2006 John Deere 8100 tractors respectively.
"There was a huge amount of local interest in the auction because the Fox family has a reputation for maintaining their machinery and implements to a very high standard," said Halls’ chairman Peter Willcock.
"The fact that the Irish and Eastern European buyers didn’t buy anything was due to the fact that they were outbid by buyers from within Shropshire, bordering counties, East Anglia and Scotland.
"Very rarely do you see such exceptional second hand machinery for sale by auction."
