ASSESSMENT OF THE AGRICULTURAL LAND RENTAL MARKET IN LITHUANIAN MUNICIPALITIES

Abstract

Agricultural land rental has become increasingly important in Lithuania because farms often expand through leasing rather than purchase. The aim of this paper is to identify territorial differences in the agricultural land rental market across Lithuanian municipalities using official data for 2015 and 2024. The results show that average market intensity increased from 21.2% to 29.8%, lease contract density from 53 to 82 units per 1000 ha, and the average land lease price from EUR 75/ha to EUR 203/ha. In 2024, the highest activity was recorded in Pakruojis, Šakiai and Radviliškis municipalities, while the highest lease prices were observed in Skuodas, Marijampolė and Lazdijai municipalities. Although absolute price differences increased, their relative dispersion declined.