International buyers keep Scotland’s farm sales market buoyant

International interest in Scotland’s farm market remains strong according to land and property specialists Bell Ingram.

Following a busy 2025 season, Bell Ingram reports that demand for Scottish farmland continues to attract significant attention from overseas purchasers. The firm has seen enquiries from Europe, and beyond, reflecting a growing appetite among international buyers to secure productive units north of the border.

Several factors underpin this trend:

• Value for money: Agricultural land in Scotland continues to offer comparatively attractive prices. For many buyers from England and Ireland, where values remain consistently high, Scottish land represents an opportunity to expand or consolidate at a lower capital cost.
• Climate resilience: Scotland’s relatively temperate climate and longer growing seasons are increasingly appealing to overseas buyers seeking to relocate from regions affected by drought and other climate-related pressures.
• Investment stability: Institutional and private investors continue to see farmland as a secure long-term asset. Scotland’s established farming infrastructure, coupled with the wider appeal of rural diversification opportunities (forestry, renewables, tourism), has helped maintain confidence in the market.
• High-quality crops: Scotland’s seed potato sector continues to enjoy a global reputation for excellence, which in turn is helping to drive international interest – particularly across Angus. Since the closure of access to EU markets, Scottish growers have sought new outlets in Africa and the Middle East. These relationships are now translating into direct inward investment, with buyers from these regions not only sourcing seed but actively looking to establish farming operations in Angus.
• Policy and support: Scotland’s agricultural subsidy framework is also a draw. While the detail of future reform is still evolving, support north of the border remains more predictable and accessible than in other parts of the UK. In particular, the continuation of area-based payments until at least 2027, coupled with targeted schemes for biodiversity and climate-positive farming, provides buyers with a degree of income certainty during a period of wider change. This contrasts with England, where the transition to Environmental Land Management (ELM) has created uncertainty for those reliant on direct payments.

Malcolm Taylor, Head of Farm Sales at Bell Ingram, comments:

“2025 has been another robust year for Scotland’s farmland market, with international buyers playing an increasingly important role. Overseas purchasers are attracted not just by value for money, but by Scotland’s climate resilience and the supportive policy environment.

We’re also seeing a shift in the type of buyer – not only investors, but families and farming businesses looking to relocate entirely to Scotland in search of stability, productive land and a better long-term outlook.”

Bell Ingram expects the trend to continue into 2026, with a strong pipeline of interest already in place.

For more information on farm sales, contact Bell Ingram’s farm sales team on 01307 462 516.