IJsselmeer polders drive up land prices

Arable land transactions in the IJsselmeer polders pushed up the price of agricultural land considerably in the third quarter. This is apparent from the quarterly report of Wageningen Economic Research (WUR) and the Land Registry.

The average agricultural land price in the Netherlands rose by 2017% in the third quarter of 11. While 1 hectare sold for an average of €57.800 in the second quarter, in quarter 3 this has increased to €64.000. This strong increase is entirely attributable to arable land transactions in the IJsselmeer polders.

Large area of ​​arable land
Arable land in the IJsselmeer polders has been transferred well in excess of €100.000 per hectare. This involved a relatively large area. In combination with the usually low rural land mobility, this has had a very strong effect on the average national arable land price. This amounted to €82.200 per hectare, against €62.000 in the second quarter. That's a plus of 33%.

Outside the IJsselmeer polders, the average arable land price remained the same. The price of grassland in the third quarter of 2017 was €55.700 per hectare. This puts the price a few percent above the average level of the 3 previous quarters.

Northern soils continue to fall
The South region usually has the highest land prices. Agricultural land in the northern part of the country is the lowest priced, on average 17% below the national level (from 2012 to now). The average land price in the north fell in the third quarter of 2017 (7%), from €51.000 in the second quarter to €47.600 per hectare. This means that the price is also below that for the whole of 2016 of €48.800.

East, West and South
The strong increase in the average land price in the eastern part of the country, from €60.000 per hectare in the second quarter to €74.200 in the third quarter of 2017, has everything to do with the transactions in the IJsselmeer polders.

In the western part of the country, the average agricultural land price has hardly changed. At €60.600 per hectare, the price is well above that for the whole of 2016 (€55.700 per hectare). In the south, the average agricultural land price fell in the third quarter (4%), from €66.700 in the second quarter to €63.800 per hectare.

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