The agricultural land market in Romania continued its upward trend in the 2024–2025 period. According to Eurostat data, the average price of arable land in Romania remains below the EU average, but the pace of increase over the past decade has been constant. Regional differences are significant, with higher values in areas with high productivity and access to infrastructure.

The increase in land prices is changing the investment structure of farms. From an economic perspective, the real return on investment depends on the relationship between the purchase price, the level of lease payments, and annual agricultural profit. In the context of volatile cereal prices and rising input costs, recovering the investment in land is becoming slower.

INS data show that land leasing represents a significant share in the cost structure of crop farms. The increase in land value is indirectly reflected in pressure on lease payments, which affects the margins of farms that do not own the land they operate.

For 2026, investment in land must be evaluated from a cash-flow perspective, not only from that of asset value appreciation. From a financial standpoint, land remains a stable asset, but it does not automatically guarantee operational profit.

(Photo: Freepik)