There were 11,885 acres of agricultural land publicly offered up for sale in NI during 2021, data compiled by the Irish Farmers Journal indicates.

The total area was made up of 425 separate lots and the average property was 28 acres.

The figures are similar to 2020, with the total area for sale rising by just 0.6% last year. In 2020, there were 420 lots offered up for sale and the average size was also 28 acres.

However, there were considerable changes in the land market within individual counties last year.

For example, the total land area offered up in Tyrone increased by 44% during 2021 to stand at 3,015 acres. Overall, 92 agricultural properties averaging 33 acres were publicly advertised for sale in the county.

The average lot size in Down was 23 acres and 79 different properties were offered up in the county last year

The sharpest drop in land supply was seen in Down, with the total area falling by 33% to 1,839 acres. The average lot size in Down was 23 acres and 79 different properties were offered up in the county last year.

Antrim had the largest number of properties advertised for sale, with 100 lots spanning an area of 2,919 acres, up 18% year on year. Armagh had the fewest farms publicly on the market, with 43 properties covering 714 acres in total, up 10% on the year previous.

The land market in Derry saw 62 properties covering a total area of 1,653 acres for sale, up 9% on 2020 levels

In Fermanagh, there was 26% less land offered up during 2021, with 1,745 acres for sale across 49 different lots. The land market in Derry saw 62 properties covering a total area of 1,653 acres for sale, up 9% on 2020 levels.

Small proportion

While the supply of land on the market remained relatively steady last year, it still represents a very small proportion of all farmland in NI.

Our figures indicate that only 0.57% of the total agricultural area in NI was publicly advertised for sale during 2021.

Across NI counties, it ranges from 0.32% of the total land available in Armagh, to 0.69% of the overall agricultural area in Antrim.

A separate set of records for hill ground and rough grazing indicates that 1,933 acres were offered up for sale in NI during 2021, 35% less than the year previous

The outlined figures do not include properties that were sold privately, or any land that could not be described as either arable, suitable for silage, or good-quality grazing ground.

A separate set of records for hill ground and rough grazing indicates that 1,933 acres were offered up for sale in NI during 2021, 35% less than the year previous.

The average lot size for hill and rough grazing was 88 acres, down from 106 acres in 2020.