George Dunn, chief executive of the Tenant Farmers Association, said: “Obviously, the association is disappointed that the duchy is selling, but it is part of their current plans for rationalisation and, in the world of the second best, the association is pleased, at least, to see that sitting tenants are to be given first refusal on purchasing.”
He said the association had received “no reports of tenants receiving notices to quit”.
“Obviously, where the tenant is unable or unwilling to purchase the freehold, there will be a major upheaval in respect of their farm businesses given their expectation to have been tenants on those farms into the long-term in light of the long-term nature of Duchy of Cornwall tenancies.”