Two Laois farms were leased out at over €600/ac last week, as demand for land continues unabated.

A 25ac holding at Ballickmoyler made €600/ac at auction for a five-year lease, auctioneer Joe Coogan has confirmed.

Competition for the grassland holding was dominated by a drystock farmer and a dairy farmer.

The auction opened at €200/ac and the hammer fell 90 seconds later at €600/ac, with the lands being taken by the drystock farmer.

The dairy farmer bid to €580/ac. The lands were let without entitlements, and there were no farm buildings.

The second parcel of land to reach €600/ha was the main block of a farm at Colt, Ballyroan, Co Laois, also handled by Joe Coogan.

The main block, extending to 84ac, opened at €400 and the hammer fell at €600/ac with the two main bidders being dairy farmers.

The lease agreement does not include buildings or entitlements.

Negotiations are ongoing regarding the lease of a further 11ac.

Meanwhile, a Roscommon beef farm was leased last week for over €300/ac plus almost €10,000 in entitlements.

The farm near Tulsk attracted almost 20 serious enquiries from potential bidders but the successful bidder was a local young farmer, who intends to keep the farm in beef production. The lease is for over five years, auctioneer Seamus McCarthy said.

The non-residential farm at Castleruby, Tulsk, consisted of 85ac of grassland, with extensive farm facilities including a six-bay slatted shed, a 43m x 7.8m cubicle house, a six-bay lying area, a handling yard and crush, along with a 12t meal silo.

There are also two silage slabs in the yard. The lease agreed also covers the lease of entitlements, the value of which will remain with the landowner, the auctioneer said.