Auctioneer Halls doubles 2023 turnover with £7m farm machinery sold

Farm machinery worth nearly £7 million was sold by auctioneer Halls during 2023, nearly doubling the previous year’s turnover.

Halls said the firm had a 'tremendous year' with farm dispersal sales, with many held in the West Midlands, Mid and North Wales and Cheshire.

Collective farm machinery auctions were also held in Shrewsbury and Kidderminster throughout the year.

Halls reported that there were nearly 22,200 individual lots sold at the 2023 sales compared to 16,257 lots in 2022.

Jonny Dymond, Halls’ senior auctioneer, said: "Traditionally, the autumn is the busiest time of the year for farm dispersal sales, but we were busy from January until the end of October.

“As our good reputation grows by word of mouth in farming circles, we are extending our geographical reach and attracting new clients.2

Explaining the reasons for more farm dispersal sales during 2023, he said some country estates were now taking farms back in-hand which had resulted in tenant farmers selling their machinery and livestock.

Farmers had also retired, changed farming policy, sold up due to rising costs or, sadly, passed away.

And the high cost of new machinery and supply chain problems had increased demand for genuine, well maintained second hand machinery.

“What is particularly attractive to buyers is the genuine nature of our sales," Mr Dymond explained.

"The majority of the machinery is unreserved which appeals to buyers because they know they can come and buy the machinery they want."