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Despite a challenging season of hot, dry weather, demand for seasonal standing crops has remained strong across the South West. Over recent months, Stags’ auctioneers have been busy marketing and selling a wide range of crops, including standing straw, whole crop, grass for mowing and grazing, and standing maize.
Sales have been conducted through a variety of routes, including public auction, online timed auction and informal tender, giving vendors flexible and effective ways to bring crops to market. With interest continuing through the summer months, this level of demand is expected to carry into the winter season.
Standing straw and whole crop
Close to 500 acres were offered by public auction across North, Mid and East Devon, attracting interested parties and active bidding from across the county. The majority of crops offered were winter wheat, with prices rising considerably this season to a top of £208 per acre. Several sales achieved averages of £180 per acre or above.
2026 also saw the first South West Standing Crop Online Auction, attracting entries of more than 150 acres. This gave vendors with smaller parcels of standing straw the opportunity to benefit from competitive bidding through an accessible and convenient format.
Following the success of this online method of sale, further entries of standing crops and grass for mowing have continued to be received into Stags’ monthly South West Fodder, Crop and Livestock Auction. Recent highlights include 24 acres of peas and barley whole crop, which attracted strong interest throughout the sale and achieved in excess of £380 per acre.
Grass for mowing and grazing
Regular online auctions have provided a quick and efficient way for vendors to offer surplus grass, whether for mowing or short-term grazing. Terms of the let can be clearly set out in the lot descriptions, while bidders have the opportunity to make enquiries and view available grass during the nine-day sale period.
Alongside the standard informal tender method also offered by Stags, this approach has proved successful for vendors across Cornwall, Devon and Somerset, with both mowing grass and short-term grazing selling well. Enquiries for winter grass keep have already started to come forward, and with regular fodder and crop sales continuing throughout the winter, this remains a widely accessible and viable marketing option.
Standing Maize
A busy season of maize sales began with the instruction of 112 acres near Exeter to be sold by online timed auction. Following discussions with the vendor, and taking account of strong local demand, the crop was offered in five lots over a seven-day auction period.
The sale attracted a strong level of interest from surrounding areas and achieved an average of £890 per acre. Since then, more than 250 acres have been offered by informal tender on behalf of seven different vendors. In most cases, this method has led to successful sales, although crop variation between areas has resulted in a wide spread of tender offers.
Top prices have generally been around the £1,000 per acre mark, with the overall average across more than 350 acres of maize crops this season standing at £884 per acre.
Considering selling standing crops or grass keep?
If you have standing crops, surplus grass or winter grass keep you are considering selling, Stags can advise on the most suitable method of sale and help bring your crop to a wide audience of active buyers. Please contact a member of our team on 01769 572042 or [email protected].
