The latest farmland survey from Savills shows only 1,515 acres of farmland were publicly put up for sale in the county in 2025, compared to 2,603 acres in 2024.

That was the second lowest figure of all counties in the East of England, where a total of 17,378 acres of farmland hit the public market last year – a drop of 16pc from the previous year and accounting for 15pc of all farmland sold in England.

Christopher Miles, director in the rural agency team for Savills in Norfolk, said supply levels were not quite as low as the figures suggested, as there had been an increase in the number of sales completed "off market". Values had also remained largely resilient, he added.

“Overall, the UK witnessed a 12pc drop in farmland coming to the market in 2025, so the figures are not unexpected," he said. "However, for Norfolk in particular, the levels of supply were not quite as low as the figures suggest as there were a number of ‘off market’ sales.

“That said, despite the well-documented changes to inheritance tax and other challenges squeezing profits, we’ve not seen a surge of farmland come to the market.

“Despite some significant economic and political headwinds, farming businesses in Norfolk and the wider East of England remain largely resilient – testament to the hard work and adaptability of our farmers.”

Meanwhile, the value of prime arable land in the East of England dropped by 4.4pc to an average of £9,481 per acre at the end of last year - but Mr Miles said there are still large variations across the region.

“Prices have held up," he said. "Best-in-class farms that are in good order continue to command a premium – with parts of the region achieving values in excess of £12,000 an acre.

"There continues to be a lot of variation depending on location, soil type, quality of buildings and the presence – or absence – of good infrastructure.

“The buyer pool has also reduced, although those who are still looking remain very committed. We continue to see strong interest from those seeking to benefit from capital gains tax rollover relief and institutional and corporate buyers.”

Looking ahead to how the farmland market might perform for the rest of this year and beyond, Mr Miles said: “We expect values to remain broadly firm through the next two years before entering a phase of steady growth as policy clarity improves and profitability prospects stabilise.

“On the supply side, the acreage marketed could rise from 2027 as larger farming businesses address inheritance tax liabilities. However, we do not see the acreage returning to pre-2000 levels.

“Historically, farmland ownership has been rewarding for many long-term owners, and the accelerated pace of climate and demographic change, alongside evolving policy, suggests this will continue.”

© Eastern Daily Press