Tight supply fuels 14.5% rise in Cheffins machinery sales to £12.4m
Demand for second-hand farm machinery has surged, pushing Cheffins’ sales past £12.4 million in the first quarter of 2026 amid tightening supply and fewer new machinery trade-ins.
The auctioneer reported a 14.5 per cent rise compared with the same period last year, when sales reached £10.8 million. Around 4,800 lots were offered across its flagship Cambridge Machinery Sales and on-farm auctions, with an average price of £2,850.
The uplift reflects wider pressures across the farming sector, where rising costs, policy changes and reduced investment in new kit are limiting the volume of machinery entering the second-hand market.
Export demand remained a key driver. At the Cambridge sales alone, 34 per cent of items were bought by overseas buyers, with Spain, Poland, Ireland, Ukraine and the Netherlands among the main destinations.
To support exports, Cheffins processed 240 machines through its specialist washdown facility during the quarter, ensuring compliance with EU phytosanitary regulations.
A total of 3,000 lots were sold through the Cambridge Monthly Machinery Sale, with a growing share consigned directly from farms. These now account for around 25 per cent of entries, reflecting strong demand for well-maintained equipment with clear provenance.
High-value sales underlined that demand. A 2022 Horsch Avatar disc drill sold for £110,000, while a 2023 Case IH 300 Optum tractor reached £105,000.
Other notable prices included £62,000 for a 2017 Fendt 724 Profi, £43,500 for a 2001 John Deere 8410T and £33,800 for a 2018 Manitou telehandler.
Joe Page, director at Cheffins, said the market is being shaped by restricted supply. “The first quarter of this year has been mainly characterised by a lack of stock,” he said.
He pointed to tax changes, reduced government funding, high input costs and wider economic uncertainty as factors slowing new machinery trade-ins and limiting supply.
Figures from the Agricultural Engineers Association show new tractor registrations fell to 8,791 in 2025 — down 14 per cent and the lowest level on record — a trend now feeding directly into the second-hand sector.
Despite this, Mr Page said quality remains strong, particularly for machinery sold directly from farms. “We have seen a marked increase in items consigned direct from farm, which is exactly what both domestic and international buyers are seeking,” he said.
He added that strong auction performance is helping farmers release capital quickly while reinvesting in machinery suited to current workloads.
Away from Cambridge, Cheffins held 12 on-farm sales during the quarter across Lancashire, Yorkshire, Cambridgeshire and Hampshire.
One of the standout sales took place in Preston on behalf of Baybutt Holdings, where high-value machinery from a national salad grower went under the hammer.
Top prices included £134,000 for a 2010 Fendt 820 Vario, £120,000 for a 1990 Mercedes MB Trac, £110,000 for a 2011 John Deere 7530 and £93,000 for a 2015 Claas Jaguar 870.
Charles Wadsley, director at Cheffins, said demand for second-hand equipment is being driven by the rising cost of new machinery. “This quarter has seen a series of high-value on-site sales across the country,” he said.
He added that factors such as retirement, restructuring and fleet realignment are prompting farmers to sell, while buyers are seeking quality used kit to strengthen operations ahead of the busy season.
Looking ahead, Mr Wadsley said Cheffins expects a busy run of large-scale auctions as farmers look to rationalise fleets, release capital and prepare for harvest.
