The average price paid for farms at auction in 2011 stood at €10,240/ac, while the average for January-June 2012 was €440/ac higher at €10,680/ac.
Analysis of farm sales in individual counties shows some extreme variation, with the lowest price per acre in 2012 recorded in Co Kerry.
The average price paid at auction in the first six months of this year was just €4,200/ac, compared to €10,514/ac last year.
But this average price has been skewed by the sale of a 704ac tract of land in the Black Valley for just €500/ac earlier in 2012.
The highest average price paid this year for agricultural land was recorded in Co Monaghan, at €17,000/ac but this is based on just a single public sale of a 60ac farm in Billis, Glaslough for €928,000 or €17,000/ac.
Other high prices for the first half of 2012 include €14,500/ac in Cork.
This was an increase of €3,986/ac and was driven by the sale of a 275ac farm that made €17,000/ac
