New Tractor Registrations Regain Ground in September
The latest figures issued by the Farm Tractor & Machinery Trade Association in relation to registrations of tractors and other types of self-propelled machinery, covering the period to the end of September, show a continued improvement.
The registration of new tractors in particular saw a strong month with much of the ground lost in the earlier part of the year recovered. The number of new tractors registered during September, at 135 units, was more than double the 63 units registered in the same month of 2019. The total number of new tractors registered in the first nine month of the year stands at 1,761 units which is less than a 4% year on year decrease. Given that the year on year figure was down 12% at the end of June , the improvement during the third quarter is quite significant.
There are only three counties recording triple digit levels of registrations thus far in 2020. Cork continues to lead the field on 238 units with Tipperary and Wexford nearly tied on 124 and 123 units respectively.
The horsepower band with the highest level of registrations during the first three quarters of the year is the 101 to 120hp range with 563 units or nearly 32% of all registrations. Over 88% of all tractors registered in the period had over 100hp, 57% had over 120hp and nearly 30% had over 150hp.
Teleporter registrations, after a difficult number of months, had a much improved September with 50 new units registered. This was a considerable increase on the 31 units of September 2019 and brings the total for the year to the end of September to 349 units as against 437 units in the same period of 2019. Cork and Meath together account for over one third of the registrations of such machines in 2020 with 64 units registered in each county to the end of September. Wexford has the next highest level of registrations with 33 units in the first nine months.
Registrations of wheeled loaders had a third consecutive strong month with 11 units registered in September, the same number as registered in August and up from only one machine in September 2019. There has been a total of 105 units registered in the first three quarters of the year, a 25% year on year increase.`
Registrations of backhoe loaders continue to be much reduced as they have been all year. There were two such machines registered during September, down from 3 units a year ago. A total of 27 backhoe loaders have been registered to the end of September, a year on year drop of more than 55%.
Be a part of a stronger, professional, farm machinery industry – join the Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association – contact FTMTA at 045 409309 or membership@ftmta.ie for details.
