Easing sales blamed on winter

Ten Northland dairy farms sold for the three months ended June 30 fetched a median price of $12,949/ha. Nationally, 59 dairy farms sold in the same period made $25,993/ha. The median price per hectare for dairy farms has risen 6.7 per cent over the past 12 months. Photo / Supplied

Fifty-six Northland farm sales were recorded for the three months ended June 30 - 10 dairy farms, 33 grazing and seven finishing units along with four forestry blocks and two horticulture properties.

Real Estate Institute of NZ (REINZ) figures show there were 459 farm sales nationally in the three months ended June 30, 10.7 per cent fewer than the 514 sales for the three months ended May 2017 and less than the 472 sales for the three months ended June last year.

The median price per hectare for all farms sold nationally in the three months to June 30 was $25,993 compared with $26,361 for the same period last year. REINZ rural spokesman Brian Peacocke said the easing in farm sales volumes was in line with similar late autumn /early winter periods in recent years, as farmers focus on wintering activities and the season ahead.

"Morale throughout the rural sector, wool producers excepted, is being stimulated by the positive outlook for dairy, beef, lamb, venison and horticultural products, and is likely to encourage continuing investment into those land-based industries," he said.

"Record attendance at the recent National Fieldays and reports of strong purchasing activity for vehicles and farm machinery were a boost to the economic barometer for the country and a further reflection of increasing confidence within the rural sector."

The 10 Northland dairy farms sold to June 30 had a median sales price of $12,949/ha, up $2362 on the $10,587/ha regional dairy sales for May 2017 and $11,455 sales median at this time last year.

Nationally, the 59 dairy farms averaging 132ha sold for the three months ended June fetched a median $34,789/ha, similar to the price for the three months ended May 2017 (89 properties), and ahead of $32,615 (46 properties) for the three months ended June 2016. The median price per hectare for dairy farms has risen 6.7 per cent over the past 12 months.

On a price per kilo of milksolids basis the median sales price for dairy farms was $33.45 kgMS nationally for the three months ended June 30, compared to $36.26 kgMS for the three months ended May 2017 and $30.40 kgMS for the three months ended June 30 last year.

The 33 Northland grazing farm sales for the three months to June 30 had a median price of $10,093/ha, substantially down on the May 2017 regional sales median of $14,160/ha and $16,604/ha median for Northland grazing farm sales at this time last year.

The reduced price reflected the situation nationally, where 121 grazing units averaging 110ha made a median $10,093/ha compared to $14,160/ha for the three months ended May 2017 and $16,604 for the three months to June last year. The median price per hectare for grazing farms has fallen 39.2 per cent over the past 12 months.

The seven Northland finishing farm sales for the three months to June 30 fetched a median $25,636/ha, well up on the $15,531/ha regional sales median at this time last year.

The median price per hectare for finishing farms has increased 6.5 per cent over the past 12 months. The 173 finishing farms averaging 46ha sold nationally for the three months ended June 30 made $27,16/ha, compared to $25,941/ha a year earlier.

The four Northland forestry block sales for the three months to June 30 fetched a median $11,062/ha, down on $13,959/ha for May 2017 sales but substantially more than the $4545/ha regional forestry sales median at this time last year.

And Northland sellers fared better than others among the 24 forestry block sales nationally for the three month to June 30 who realised a median price of $5226/ha, up on $4867/ha for May 3017 and around the same as $5116/ha a year earlier.

The two Northland horticulture property sales for the three months to June 30 made $167,216/ha, a drop from sales to May 2017 on $178,602/ha.

Meanwhile, the 247 Northland lifestyle property sales for the three months to June 30 had a median price of $450,000/ha, up from $439,500/ha for May 2017 and far ahead of the $382,500/ha median price at this time last year.

Northland bucked a national trend when its lifestyle sales for the three months to June 30 rose 9 per cent while in other regions apart from West Coast there was a distinct easing for the month of June compared to the previous month. ¦