{farm sale}

Potato machinery and tractors sell well at Cambridgeshire sale

A late autumn sale at Swa ham Prior, Cambridgeshire, attracted large numbers of bidders online as well as on-site.

David Williams reports.

The sale was arranged by Che ns on behalf of Pennard Hill Farm Ltd, as a result of the farmer giving up his tenancy. There was a strong selection of modern, premium brand tractors as well as potato growing and grading machinery and Che ns auctioneer, Oliver Godfrey said that the successful auction was one of a run of good sales which took place in late autumn.

Online bidding advantage

“Although our sales team hadn’t worked with the vendor previously, our colleagues in the Cheffins land agency department had provided professional services, so we were very pleased to be instructed to organise the dispersal of this quality kit,” explained Oliver. “This was a sale where our online platform helped generate extra interest and contributed to the high prices achieved – as it opened the sale to potential buyers for this specialist potato planting, harvesting and handling machinery further away in the UK and overseas. The sale location was near to our Sutton Machinery Sale yard too, making it easy to clean machines to the high standards required for export.”

Tractors starred

Oliver commented that sale highlights included the tractor line-up, especially a John Deere 7810 which was one of only a few ‘included’ lots, and which achieved £45,200. “There was a good crowd on the day even though the weather was very unsettled, but it was a genuine dispersal sale and the vendor was a long-standing potato grower with a good selection of equipment to o er,” he stressed. Members of the Che ns on-site team included auctioneers; Oliver Godfrey and Charles Wadsley, with Bill King, Tom Godsmark, Mary Freeman, Ted Shepherd, Angie Ware, Paul West and Cameron Balderson. FG bidding by buyers on-site, as well as online

New in 1999, this Farmet G380 NS 4.2m hydraulic-folding, nine-leg, heavy stubble cultivator achieved £2,200.

Modern potato machinery from the longestablished grower attracted enthusiastic bidding by buyers on-site, as well as online in the UK and overseas. This 2020 Standen SP-300 three-row potato planter with a space selector, hydraulic depth control, electric agitation, rear hood and Team Amistar applicator made £7,800.

This 2011 John Deere 6630 with PowrQuad 40kph transmission was in good condition for its age. It carried its Ben Burgess supplying dealer stickers, had a 900kg front weight, cab and front axle suspension and was on Firestone 520/70R38 rear, and 420/70R28 front wheels and tyres. On an 11-plate, it had worked 8,715 hours and sold for £30,000.

Locally produced Team Sprayers have a great reputation, and this 2019 Team Arian 1800 24m mounted sprayer with GPS-controlled six-section shut o and a touch-screen control box made £8,500.