Despite new barriers resulting from Brexit, second hand farm machinery sales remain strong.

At an online auction that closed on January 24, Stags saw a 1995 Case International 4230 Tractor c/w Trima Loader sold by a family farm in Tavistock achieve nearly double the vendor's expectations. It was finally bought by a farmer from south east Cornwall.

Although a few European and Northern Irish buyers were active their bidding was conservative, perhaps with the new rules hindering their confidence on this occasion.

Other strong prices included what is fast becoming an iconic classic tractor a 1989 Ford 7810 Tractor which changed ownership for £10,600.

Ford 7810 Tractor

Ford 7810 Tractor

The biggest item in size offered was a 30T Fiat Hitachi Excavator offered from a deceased estate in the Blackdown Hills and sold as a non-runner which drew a surprising amount of buyer interest and eventually commanded a massive price of £10,500 considering the attention it requires and was eventually purchased by a boat yard located on the south coast.

Following the UK’s split from the European Union, exporters must now comply with the EU’s third country import requirements.

This involves substantial additional paperwork and the need for each exported item of machinery requiring a phytosanitary certificate (PC).

This certificate which comes at a cost of £25.52 per certificate issued with the inspection of each item costing a minimum of £63.80, payable for each 15-minute period spent carrying out the inspection and any associated activities including travel time, with a further minimum fee of £127.60 also enforced as an attendance fee.

These new rules will inevitably add substantial costs to anyone exporting singular or multiple items at a time to the EU or Northern Ireland.

This is without the additional cost involved with the process of ensuring machinery is cleaned and free from soil and plant debris in order to obtain a phytosanitary certificate.

This cost can be prohibitive for heavy or older machinery that requires extensive deconstruction and very thorough cleansing throughout the machine.