Halls sells 4,500 acres of standing cereals across Shropshire
Winter barley and wheat averaged up to £119 and £110 an acre respectively – double last year’s prices - as regional auctioneers Halls sold 4,500 acres of standing cereals across Shropshire at a series of auctions last week.
The top averages were achieved at Bishop's Castle, with auctioneer Peter Willcock attributing the exceptional prices to the quality of the crop and competitive bidding from the large number of bidders.
Crops owned by Acton Farming Ltd, W. D. Sykes and Partners and Messrs W. H. and A. Cooke went under the hammer. Oilseed rape and Triticale averaged £46 and £92 per acre respectively.
“They are known to be highly competent arable farmers and the crops were very good,” said Mr Willcock. “This is an area where I would expect prices to be at the top end of the market.
“I was anticipating prices to be £20 an acre up on last year, but they were almost double. It was a case of market forces dictating the prices.”
Three other auctions were held during the week, with winter wheat and barley averaging £78 and £95 per acre at Montford Farm, Montford Bridge and £66 and £62 per acre respectively at Acton Pigott, near Shrewsbury.
The series ended with a collective auction at Shrewsbury Auction Centre, where winter wheat and barley averaged £65 and £62 respectively, while spring and winter oats averaged £68 and £59 respectively and spring barley averaged £47 per acre.
