Farmland prices are holding up in North Yorkshire in spite of the foot and mouth crisis.

That is the conclusion of a survey by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors which shows predictions of an immediate and catastrophic effect on rural land values to be wrong.

It also shows that North Yorkshire appears to be following a national trend which has seen the average price of farmland rising by 10.8 per cent since the fourth quarter of last year, but still 6.6 per cent down on the same period the previous year.

Carter Jonas, one of the biggest agencies for agricultural land sales in North Yorkshire reports that there was limited availability of land for sale even before the first foot and mouth outbreak was confirmed in February.

The epidemic, say its surveyors, has kept farmland off the market which might otherwise have become available.

Andrew Fallows, a partner of Carter Jonas in York, said: "It may not be until the autumn that we see any form of land market developing.

"There has, however, been one auction sale still attracting bids of more than £3,000 an acre for arable land."

Giles Bilton, of Carter Jonas's Harrogate office, said that foot and mouth had dried up any prospective supply of land to the market. "Viewings are not possible or would be deemed to be irresponsible and therefore there is another lull in the market.

Chris Johnstone, regional director of the RICS said: "There is not much to be cheerful about in British agriculture at the moment. It is ironic that the foot and mouth epidemic, coming halfway through the period covered by this report, has contributed to the raising of farmland values at least for the time being.

"The true impact of the outbreak on farmland values will only show up over the next six to eight months."