Europe’s leading agricultural machinery auctioneer, Cheffins, exported £15,347,230-worth of machinery overseas in 2025, representing 48 per cent of all lots sold through its Cambridge Monthly Machinery Sale.
Total sales at the Cambridge Monthly Machinery Sale in 2025 were £31,797,431 in comparison to £33,990,070 in 2024, excluding on-site dispersal sales hosted nationwide.
Of total overseas sales in 2025, 86.8 per cent were to European buyers, with the remainder sold further afield, as buyers were buoyed by the strength of the Euro against Sterling, particularly as it weakened towards the end of the year.
In all, machinery was exported to more than 35 countries during 2025, underlining Cheffins’ position as a truly global marketplace. In 2025, over 3,450 machines including tractors, telehandlers, cultivators, combines were exported overseas from the Cheffins saleground at Sutton, near Ely.
The majority of machinery was exported to Ireland, which saw over £5.7 million-worth sold in 2025, followed by Spain at £3.3 million and Poland at £1.98 million. Other key export locations included Bulgaria, the Netherlands, France, Portugal, Cyprus, Austria, Romania, Germany and Belgium in Europe, while exports were also further afield, with significant sales to Northern Africa, South Africa, Turkey and New Zealand.
Sales to overseas clients were marginally down on those from 2024, where £17.5 million-worth were exported, representing a fall of 6.45 per cent year-on-year. This was a result of a lack of stock and macro-economic and political factors. In 2024, 51.6 per cent of sales were sold overseas, with the majority of sales to Ireland (41.7 per cent), Poland (24.43 per cent) and Spain (9.5 per cent).
Portugal recorded notable growth in 2025, with purchases rising to £585,590 compared to £276,200 in 2024, representing an increase of 112 per cent. This was mainly due to a better supply of quality used equipment. In particular JCB, John Deere and Fendt machines were the most highly sought after. This was in contrast to France where sales fell sharply to £61,590, down from £311,245 in 2024, representing a decrease of approximately 80 per cent. This reduction is understood to be linked to customs challenges and changes in the demand from French buyers, coupled with difficulties importing lower value stock due to increased costs.
Sales to Ukraine also declined as a result of the ongoing conflict, while the introduction of US tariffs in April 2025 led to reduced volumes of tractors and machinery entering the American market. Before 2022 and the start of the latest Russia-Ukraine conflict, a larger per cent of sales at Cheffins were to Ukraine, whether directly or via clients in countries such as Poland, Romania and Slovenia. Sales to Ukraine now represent only a marginal percentage due to ongoing unrest. Older tractors which were being exported to Sudan have also been significantly affected by the civil war. Previously one of the most active markets for classic and lower-horsepower models, taking up circa 30 per cent of sales in this section, demand has since slackened, however trade is still active for the right machines due to a lack of stock.
Joe Page, Director at Cheffins says: “The costs of transport, customs and cleaning has all had an effect on the second-hand market. We have mitigated this as much as possible by offering a full export service including sanitary and phytosanitary cleaning certification, dismantling of machinery for containers and paperwork on behalf of clients. Taking into account the major political uncertainty which has been seen across Europe and further afield, thanks to the war in Ukraine, unrest in the Middle East and localised issues in Northern Africa, the reduction in export at Cheffins has been nominal.”
Demand from the overseas market continues to be focussed on quality tractors, with a particular preference for John Deere and Fendt models, while there has also been a marked increase in the sales of JCB Telehandlers, which have seen the most interest from Poland, Ukraine, Spain and domestic trade.
Joe Page continues: “The Windsor Framework, which became effective in 2025 saw some uncertainty among Irish buyers, however the new ‘green lane’ system has ensured that Irish buyers continue to head to Cheffins to look for high quality second-hand machinery. These figures demonstrate that Cheffins continues to provide a genuinely global marketplace for agricultural machinery. By offering a dedicated in-house export service, we make it as straightforward as possible for overseas buyers to purchase, helping sellers achieve the strongest possible prices.”
The highest priced tractor sold at Cheffins Monthly Machinery sale in 2025 was Fendt 942 Tractor which achieved £204,000 in October. Among the plant machinery, the record price achieved in 2025 was Komatsu D39PXI-24 Bulldozer for £64,000 in October 2025.
The next Monthly Machinery sale at Cheffins will take place on Monday 9th March at the firm’s dedicated saleground at Sutton, near Ely.
For more information, please visit contact Cheffins Machinery Department on 01353 777 767, [email protected]
For further media information, please contact Sophie Richardson, PR Manager at Cheffins, [email protected]