The Agricultural Engineers Association has reported that May sales figures for tractors over 50hp, and monthly & said that the year-to-date figures show great optimism within the industry, despite reduced sales in February and March.

AEA figures show:T

Sales for Month :  1,222 Units a +21.2% change (compared with May 2017)

Year to Date :    5,343 Units a +4.7% change (compared with January-May 2017)

The brief slowdown in UK agricultural tractor (over 50hp) registrations recorded in February and March seems to be well and truly over. Registrations in May were over 20% up on the same month last year and the highest May figures since 2014. The 1,222 machines registered in the month bring the annual total to 5,343, around 240 (5%) more than in the first five months of 2017.

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UK tractor registrations are taken as a broad indicator of the strength of the domestic market for agricultural equipment. Tractors must be licensed for use on public roads and as such are registered with the Department for Transport which allows an accurate count to be made. In value terms, sales of tractors, plus parts and accessories, account for almost one half of farmers’ total spend on equipment, which again makes this data series a prime indicator.