Over £48 million worth of second-hand agricultural machinery has been sold this year by Cheffins, despite the uncertainties caused by the pandemic and Brexit.
While there was a pause in live auctions at the start of the outbreak, the auctioneer sold machinery at monthly sales, on-site auctions and vintage collectives.
The company, which conducts the largest monthly sale of agricultural machinery in the world, sold over 4,500 tractors and plant items throughout the year.
Highlights of 2020 include a 66 plate JCB 4220 Fastrac, 25-year limited edition, with 6,207 hours on the clock, which sold for £75,000.
This was followed by a 17 plate Case CVX 185 tractor which sold for £69,000 and a 16 plate Case Magnum CXV340RT tractor with 4,250 hours which made £68,000.
Bill Pepper, director at Cheffins, said online bidding throughout the summer months helped the auctioneer boost sales.
"There is clearly still strong demand for good quality second-hand kit from across the world," he said.
"Whilst uncertainty remains around farm subsidies export in the post-Brexit transitional months, we have seen that both dealers and end-users are still coming to sales to snap up the best equipment on offer."
Similarly, the outbreak of Covid-9 had little effect on the export market, he said, with sales to over 30 different countries across Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
Some of the strongest markets in recent months have been Spain and Germany for the newer tractors and plant machinery on offer.
"The Sudanese market has made a comeback this year and has been a driver in the high prices paid for some of the older tractors, Massey Fergusons in particular,” Mr Pepper said.
This year has also seen 28 on-site sales conducted with over 6,000 vintage and modern machinery items sold to a total value of over £10m.
The sales included high value on-site vintage auctions to smaller, dispersal sales for farmers and dealers on a national basis, taking place across the UK.
The highlight of the on-site calendar was the major dispersal sale on behalf of KS Coles Ltd, a market-leading vegetable grower in Somerset, which saw 600 lots of tractors and vegetable growing equipment in September.
Some notable prices for on-site sales in 2020 include £113,775 for a 2019 Fendt 724 Vario at the KS Coles Sale, and £111,725 for a 2013 Claas Lexion 770TT combine at the Kendall & Banks sale in Sandy, Bedfordshire.
