Farm sales were down for the three months ending in July but prices edged up.
Figures from the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand show there fewer farms sold in the July quater compared to the same period last year.
The mid-price for farmstead sales has gone up slightly. Photo: 123rf
Over that same three months the median price for all farms sold lifted to $27,158 per hectare compared to last year.
Institute rural spokesperson Brian Peacocke said it was a quiet time for the market.
"The volumes are down because of the time of year when traditionally people have committed to calving and/or lambing
"Those sales that have taken place include some quite high value properties.
"There are some quite strongly priced properties involved in the mix - as to whether that is an ongoing trend, we'll find out in the spring."
Mr Peacocke said he was not sure why farm sales were slower than the same period last year.
"All I can say is that we've been going through a reasonably solid period of sales, that's tapered off ... that's to be expected."
However, he said persistent, heavy rainfall and extensive flooding in parts of the country generated extremely difficult conditions for wintering cattle and calving dairy cows.
The report said most sales were finishing farms, with a 39 percent share, while grazing properties accounted for 27 percent.