New tractors bought in UK down by 19%

THE NUMBER of new tractors bought in the UK fell by nearly 20% in the first quarter of this year.

Agricultural Engineers Association figures reveal 2,630 new tractors of more than 50 horsepower (hp), were registered in the UK between January and March.

This represents an 18.8% decline in registrations compared to the same period last year.

January registrations were down 8.3% on last year at 656; there was a 27.8% fall in February, at 502; and a 19.6% drop last month at 1,472.

“This reflects the lack of confidence within the farming sector, which has seen an unusual combination of low product prices at a time when the CAP reforms have come into effect,” said AEA economist Chris Evans.

“To a limited extent some lower input prices, such as for fuels, have offset the reduced receipts, but there has been an underlying uncertainty which has caused caution in respect of investments.”

Figures from the association also reveal that farmers are opting for more powerful tractors.

Mr Evans said: “The average power continues to rise, and for the first quarter of the year was 156.6hp — a rise of 3.9% on a year earlier. Accordingly the total power sold was 15.7% lower than in the first quarter of 2014.”

The AEA did not yet have individual figures available for Scottish tractor registrations so far this year, but figures for last year reveal sales were down 6.6%.

Provisional estimates published in January revealed that the number of tractors of more than 50hp registered in Scotland last year was 1,477.

This represented 11.9% of total UK registrations last year, which stood at 12,433, representing a 0.5% decline on 2013.

Picture: Ron Stephen. Grewar Farming preparing the ground for potatoes.