The average price of agricultural grazing land rose to €14,442/ac in 2025, according to a new report from the Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers (IPAV).

This represents a jump of 3.5% on the average price of €13,949/ac recorded in 2024.

IPAV said "keen competition" from both farming and non-farming sources, along with constrained supply, drove further increases in land and lease prices last year.

However, the report noted that Munster saw land prices soften in the latter half of the year due to falling milk prices.

IPAV

The value of forestry also strengthened last year, with the average forestry price rising to €6,602/ac, up 3% on the previous year (€6,407/ac).

IPAV said this was despite ongoing challenges, including extensive storm damage and continuing issues around licensing.

In the rental market, the report showed that con-acre rates continued to move upward, averaging €287/ac (up over 4%), while long-term grazing leases increased by 4.7% to €313/ac.

Tillage leasing land was making an average of €292/ac, which IPAV said was "only marginally lower than 2024".

Land

According to the report, Connacht recorded the strongest provincial uplift in 2025, underpinned by steady supply but intense competition for good parcels.

The average per acre price for arable land in the province 9.4% rose from €9,750/ac to €10,667/ac in 2025.

The average price of forestry land stood at €5,833/ac reflecting prices paid in 2024.

Demand for 20-50ac holdings remained particularly strong, while larger single-block farms attracted significant attention when offered for sale.

Agents in Connacht said leasing availability was tight for quality grazing and silage ground.

Rental prices for con-acre grazing land stood at an average of €233/ac and €282/ac for long-term letting ground.

The limited amount of tillage ground in the province was making €260/acre.

Some agents noted that the buyer mix in the province has shifted heavily toward hobby farmers and investors rather than full-time farmers.

In Leinster, average prices strengthened by almost 5% to €17,333/ac in 2025.

Agents said that investor demand is "particularly influential" here, along with strong competition for smaller parcels and prime land located close to dairy units.

Forestry in the province remains relatively stable at €7,125/ac.

The leasing market in Leinster is becoming increasingly dominated by multi-year arrangements with an average of €334/ac being paid for land in this category.

However, some agents recorded prices well over €400/ac.

Con-acre achieved an average of €298/ac, tillage land came in at an average of €307/ac, with vegetable and potato ground "making much more than that".

Value

The report noted that while Munster is one of the strongest-value land regions in the country, the provincial average eased by 6.2% in 2025 to €16,100/ac.

Land suitable for forestry in the province made an average of €6,950/ac, a slight improvement on 2024 prices.

In terms of leasing, con-acre land was making €338/ac, while long-term letting land was fetching an average of €362/ac. Tillage ground was averaging at €353/ac.

The average land price in Ulster increased from €12,625/ac to €13,667/ac, up 8.3%.

The price of forestry land remained stable compared to the previous year at an average of €6,500/ac.

Agents reported strong competition where attractive farms with good access and layout come to the open market.

Leasing supply is also tight, with a shift toward longer lease models.

The average price for grazing land leased on a con-acre basis was €279/ac, while long term leases were commanding an average of €274/ac with tillage land making €250/ac.

Investors

Commenting on the report, Genevieve McGuirk, IPAV’s chief executive said: "We’re clearly undergoing major social change, with retirement, fewer children farming, and economic pressures, particularly on smaller farms.

"They had a strong presence in the market across the year, in some areas they accounted for up to 70% of buyers."

IPAV’s Land Survey suggests the market in 2026 will continue to see tight supply with the move from con-acre to longer leases restricting supply, and competition for well-located, high-quality parcels of land remaining intense.

"The continuing movement to longer-term leases from the con-acre system that previously dominated the market is particularly notable with an ever-increasing number of non-farming landowners leasing rather than selling," McGuirk said.

She added that the appeal of tax incentives for landowners is clearly a big driving factor, encouraging and giving confidence to younger farmers who may not otherwise have access to land.

For the coming year, most IPAV agents point to broad stability, with the direction of prices hinging on profitability, credit conditions, and policy/trade uncertainty.