Our analysis reveals the volume of publicly marketed farmland fell by -9% across Great Britain and amounted to 86,850 acres compared with 95,200 acres in the first half of 2011. However, with the exception of the first six months of 2011, the volume of farmland marketed in the first half of 2012 is still 3% higher than levels recorded in the same period of 2009 and 2010.
In addition, the majority (80%) of this land was marketed in the second quarter of 2012, which according to our research, with the exception of 2011 is the largest volume to be marketed in a second quarter since 2007. Also there have been a number of private transactions of substantial acreages during the first half of this year.
Graph 1 illustrates that across the individual regions, supply tightened in more locations than it increased. Increases in the volume of publicly marketed farmland were concentrated in the North of England (25%), the East of England (12%) and Scotland (11%) when compared to the first half of 2011.
In contrast, supply fell furthest in the East Midlands where a reduction of -50% was recorded. The amount of farmland marketed also fell significantly in the West Midlands (-29%), South West England (-18%), and the South East of England (-26%).
In Scotland, 24,600 acres of farmland were publicly marketed. This compares to 22,650 acres up to the end of June 2011 and according to our research was the largest volume of marketed farmland in Scotland during the first half of any year since 2003 when 27,670 acres were openly marketed.
In Wales, just 3,400 acres of farmland were marketed to the end of June 2012, which compares to 3,960 acres in the same period of 2011, a fall of -14%.
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