Bill King, Chairman of Cheffins, reflects on how Brexit has reshaped the agricultural machinery market over the past decade and why export demand remains strong despite trade complexity
"As Europe’s largest auctioneer of second-hand agricultural machinery, Cheffins has been at the sharp end of the impact post-Brexit on our markets.
Ten years on from the referendum, the story of machinery exports is one of two distinct phases. In the years immediately following the vote and up until 2021, a weaker pound and uncertainty around future trading arrangements created exceptionally strong demand from overseas buyers. More recently, however, the practical realities of trading across borders have introduced additional costs and administrative burdens which have inevitably affected export volumes.
Before the UK's departure from the European Union came fully into effect, European buyers represented a significant proportion of our customer base. In 2016, Cheffins exported 2,328 items of machinery to Europe. By 2025, that figure had fallen to 1,518 items – a reduction of almost 35 per cent.
The decline has not been driven by a lack of demand for British machinery. Rather, it reflects the additional complexity involved in moving machinery across borders. Despite the existence of a free trade agreement, exporters and buyers must now navigate a range of non-tariff barriers, including customs declarations, transport documentation and sanitary and phytosanitary requirements.
These additional costs have had the greatest impact on lower-value machinery and implements, where export paperwork, transport and cleaning requirements can represent a significant proportion of the item's overall value. As a result, some European buyers who previously purchased smaller lots have become more selective in their buying decisions.
In 2017, we reported how immediately following the Brexit vote, we saw a surge in used machinery and tractor sales, driven by the weaker Pound which made UK-based machinery highly competitive for international buyers. This was coupled with the uncertainty which surrounded the market for UK-based farmers, leading to a lack in purchases of new machinery. We certainly saw a mad dash in the couple of years following the vote, however as the post-Brexit border friction started to come into play, we have had to facilitate a large amount of logistical support.
As post-Brexit trading arrangements became established, however, the market evolved. Rather than seeing demand disappear, we have seen the process of exporting become more complicated.
Recognising this challenge, Cheffins has invested heavily in supporting both buyers and sellers through the export process. We provide machinery washdown and sanitary cleaning facilities prior to shipment, ensuring equipment complies with EU regulations, and our team manages customs documentation and export administration on behalf of international purchasers.
By providing these services, we have ensured that export demand for all of our sales has remained particularly robust. In the first quarter of this year, 34 per cent of items sold at the monthly machinery sale at Sutton were destined for overseas, with leading locations including Spain, Poland, Ireland, Ukraine and the Netherlands. Within the quarter, we processed some 240 machines through the washdown facility.
And while exports are down in terms of lot numbers, the value of total exports tells a different story and has increased in line with the growth in second-hand machinery values from £6,569,309-worth exported to Europe in 2016 to £13,326,995-worth in 2025 (representing an uplift of 103 per cent). Last year saw almost half of the items sold at Sutton head overseas, 86.8 per cent of which went to Europe, with the remainder sold further afield to locations such as Northern Africa, South Africa, Turkey and New Zealand. Buyers have continued to make the most of strength of the Euro against Sterling and consistent political uncertainty post-Brexit has really allowed overseas buyers to cash in on quality machinery as the Euro held firm.
This reflects both the strength of machinery values and the continued appetite among European buyers for quality used equipment. While fewer items may be leaving the country, those that are being exported are often larger, higher-value machines where the economics of international trade remain attractive despite the additional administration involved.
Trade frictions have also created major uncertainty for UK farmers. This has directly led to a decrease in the number of new tractors being purchased. Recent reports showed that the sales of British farm products to the EU plummeted by nearly 40 per cent since Britain left the EU.[1] This is where the real issues lie. And it has had an effect on the second-hand machinery market too. As new tractors are not purchased, there are fewer trade ins, this means less stock on the market, and as a result, higher prices. According to the Agricultural Engineers Association, new tractor sales reached their lowest levels in 2025 since before World War II.[2]
The proposal to reverse Brexit is now gathering momentum. Polling has suggested that there would be overwhelming support for the country to rejoin the EU and Labour’s leadership contest is now reopening the Brexit debate. However, if we were to rejoin, much of the damage has already been done for farmers. We would need to rebuild demand among Europe for British-made goods and we would need to see a significant reduction in red tape and border delays which have affected all parts of the agricultural industry and also allow for significant support for those sectors which have been the most heavily affected, such as potato growers or cheese makers.
However, the enduring strength of international demand demonstrates that British machinery continues to enjoy an excellent reputation overseas. The key difference today is that exporting requires greater expertise and support than it did a decade ago.
Ten years on from the Referendum, that is perhaps the clearest lesson: while the trading environment has changed dramatically, the market has adapted, and international opportunities remain firmly open for British agriculture."
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For more information, please visit contact Cheffins Machinery Department on 01353 777 767, [email protected]