Nutrien Ag Solutions', Geraldton, agent Chad Smith is focused on positive feedback from his first Mid West multi-vendor online machinery auction, rather than a "disheartening" clearance rate.
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Only three of 44 lots sold on the AuctionsPlus platform, with $32,000 the top price realised over the previous four days of dedicated auction, when results were declared recently.
That top price was paid by a southern Western Australian buyer for lot 35, a regularly-serviced 1994 Freightliner LF80 six-wheeler rigid truck with 186 kiloWatt Cummins engine, auto transmission, 220,550 kilometres showing and with a Cole HD800 five-in-one bin and Hobbs hoist on the back.
It had been put up by an Eradu farmer with an opening price of $20,000.
A South Australian bidder claimed lot 24, a 850T Marshall Multispreader rebuilt in 2023 with many new parts and put up by a Northampton farmer, for the opening price of $13,500.
Another southern WA buyer also paid the opening price of $10,000 for the lot 37 double-deck convertible stock semi-trailer put up by a second Northampton vendor.
Unsuccessful bidders from central New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland competed with locals bidding on seven other lots which were passed in.
A 2021 15-metre Morris Quantum airdrill and 2022 Morris 9365 VRT aircart, put up as separate lots by a West Casuarinas' vendor after only being used as a unit for 2600 hectares, were both passed in after attracting bids of $125,000 each.
Their opening price was $120,000 each.
A 2012 John Deere 4940 self-propelled boomsprayer with 36m boom and 4700 litre stainless steel tank, from Geraldton, was passed in at its opening price of $102,500 and a 2013 New Holland T8360 tractor showing 7980 hours, with motor rebuilt under factory warranty at 2400 hours, also from Geraldton, was passed in at its opening price $72,500.
An extra $5000 above a $105,000 opening price was not enough to claim a 2011 John Deere S660 combine harvester with 640D draper front put up by a second Eradu vendor and it was also passed in.
The other passed-in lots were from Nabawa - a Fiat-Allis 345B articulated loader at an opening price of $6000 and a 2009 Holden Colorado four-wheel-drive ute at an opening price of $4750.
Some of the unsold machinery from Nutrien's own Mid West multi-vendor sale will now go up for auction on the AuctionsPlus system in national machinery sales.
In total there were 12 active bidders who placed 36 bids over 10 lots, along with 8261 catalogue views and 866 people who logged in to watch the auction live.
"I think that's one of the positives to take away from this (Nutrien's first online multi-vendor machinery sale), we had 866 people sitting online watching the sale - you never get that number attending a clearing sale onfarm," Mr Smith said.
"It (clearance rate) was a little bit disheartening I guess - a lot of work for not much result - I think the timing might have been a little bit off, but the response was positive.
"Everyone was behind it, thought it was a great idea, sellers and buyers to an extent.
"It was more seasonal conditions off the back of last year and the forecast (for the current season) that has held us back a little I think."
Mr Smith said most of the 20 vendors represented at the sale put up single items.
The online multi-vendor sale was organised to cater mainly for Mid West grain farmers who had enquired during the just concluded clearing sale season about being an outside vendor at a Nutrien clearing sale.
"We're obligated to look after our loyal Nutrien clients, so it's not always possible to accept as outside vendor a person wanting to sell items that might impact on the sale result for the loyal client," Mr Smith said.
Another problem to be overcome was that many grain farmers were not familiar with the AuctionsPlus system, he pointed out.
"Mixed farmers and livestock farmers have dealt with this system before and seen how it works, but a lot of grain farmers are not familiar with it - having to get a log in and learn how to bid might have been a bit daunting for some, I suspect," Mr Smith said.
"Going forward, I'm more than happy to organise three or maybe four online multi-vendor auctions a year if the timing and gear are right.
"Season dependent, we'll definitely try to have another one around September for harvest gear if we look like having a good harvest.
"We'll be putting up harvesters, trucks, field bins, chaser bins, small tractors, that sort of thing."
