Land prices continue to rise in Louth as demand stays strong

Land prices continued to climb across the country in 2025, with Leinster maintaining its position as the most expensive region for agricultural land and local agents reporting steady demand in the north-east.

According to the latest report from the Institute of Professional Auctioneers & Valuers (IPAV), the average price for agricultural land nationally rose to €14,442 per acre in 2025, up from €13,949 the previous year which is an annual increase of 3.5%.

In Leinster the average price increased from €16,529 to €17,333 per acre.

The report also breaks down the types of purchasers active in the market by county.

In Louth, beef farmers accounted for the largest share of buyers at around 50%, followed by tillage operators at 30%.

Dairy farmers represented roughly 10% of purchasers, while business or non-farming buyers also made up about 10% of transactions.

Local market commentary from agents in the north-east suggests that while the supply of land coming to the market has dipped slightly, strong demand from farmers and other buyers continues to underpin prices.

Stephen Gunne of Property Partners Laurence Gunne in Dundalk said that supply in the northeast is slightly down on last year, but prices for good land have strengthened, For the coming year, he sees little to weaken demand and identifies key drivers as expansion by stronger farm enterprises, buyers from north of the border, and business interests attracted by land’s long-term stability.

The IPAV report notes that the farmland market is increasingly shaped by broader social and economic change.

Retirement among older farmers, fewer successors entering farming and the financial pressures on smaller farms are contributing to more land coming to market through probate, executor and retirement sales.

At the same time, investors and business buyers are playing a growing role in the market, viewing farmland as a secure long-term asset and a way to transfer wealth between generations.

In some parts of the country, non-farming buyers accounted for as much as 70% of land purchases during the year.

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.

“Increasingly investors view land as a safe asset and a mechanism for wealth transfer. They had a strong presence in the market across the year, in some areas they accounted for up to 70% of buyers,” she said.

Read Next: Dundalk Credit Union: Built on Community, Strengthened by Women

“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.”

She said 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.  

“It also facilitates other enterprises that need land. This is something policy makers should take on board in the housing market. Tax incentives work because they motivate rather than disincentivise property owners and developers,” Ms McGuirk said.