WITH its third simulcast agricultural machinery auction wrapped up, Rodwells/Ruralco offshoot, Australian Agricultural Auctions, reports growing interest in their new onsite and online format.
Head auctioneer Anthony Delaney said the Powranna, Tasmania, 100 lot auction held last week saw good results.
“We had about 130 registered bidders attend onsite and another 30 or so online," Mr Delaney said.
“Most of the equipment was sold on-site but there was regular bidding competition from online.
“There was certainly a lot of competition [from online] and high end competition as well. The online registrations were mixed from both the mainland and local and a lot on the bidding competition was from the mainland, but purchasing was from Tasmanians."
Manheim Auctions general sales manager, trucks and machinery, Sandra Hammond said a range of sales channels was important.
“Ag equipment doesn't stop at state borders," Ms Hammond said.
“People are willing to buy across the country and our job is to make sure the product is promoted nationally to make sure it is attractive.
“Having both online and in-lane bidding is important, but we also tend to find people see auctions as a good opportunity to come into town.
“In Brisbane around Ekka we see a spike in country people attending auctions to see what is about.”
Results are linked to the farming cycle, she said.
“We are always hoping for some good crops. Good prices in wheat sees good prices for trucks and tippers but results are very much reflective of state conditions - it is really driven by cycles.
“Buyers at auction are often quite diverse, and there is a range of niche markets that you can pitch to different buyer bases.”
Manheim already enjoys strong used trucks and trailer sales into the ag sector.
“Agriculture is certainly a target market for us,” Ms Hammond said.
“How equipment is presented, the age and making sure it is not end of life means there is always a good market for it.
“Rural people will come into town to buy used equipment like a loader or a grader rather than a harvester because they are more often sold in the region.
“We’ve also conducted sales on behalf of dealers in NSW to stimulate interest back into the region. Things seem to sell well - people see it as an opportunity to procure something at a bargain price."
AAA’s Powranna winning online bids were at the “cheaper end of the results”, according to Mr Delaney. “We had online competition on one of our most expensive tractors - it was a fair mix.
“In WA we had two sales in two days so you would say this is really our second go at it and we are very happy - we had a fair range of equipment and sold a fair portion of it.
Top results went on tractors with loaders fitted while high horsepower tractors with no loaders were harder to shift with limited competition, he said.
“Our hay making equipment sought good competition and second hand and low cost used gear sold well and a couple of seeders we had sold well.
The online registrations were from both mainland and local Tassie bidders Mr Delaney said.
AAA’s next simulcast auction is set for Pakenham, Victoria on October 1.
“We’ve got everything from ride on mowers to about 20 tractors and a lot of implements for professional growers and hobby farmers,” Mr Delaney said.
Other AAA simulcast events include a farm clearance auction from Toolangi, Victoria on October 23 and a multi vendor auction set for Dubbo later this year.