A total of 161 new tractors were registered for the first time in Ireland during May 2024, 29.8% of which were between 161hp and 200hp, according to the most recent data released by the Farm Tractor & Machinery Trade Association (FTMTA).

For the year to date, the 161hp to 200hp power band has recorded the largest proportion of new tractor registrations at 24.3%.

Until this year, the most popular power band had typically been the 141hp to 160hp category.

A total of 1,230 new tractors were registered for the first five months of 2024, between January and the end of May. This marks a change of 11% on the corresponding period in 2023 when 1,379 new tractors were registered for the first time.

The May 2024 tally of 161 new tractors registered trails 25.9% behind the period in 2023 when 209 new tractors were registered. Despite lower registrations for the month, the counties to record the highest number of new registrations, which tend to translate to sales for the year to date, is Cork with 174 new units.

Tipperary ranked second with 117 new tractor registrations, while Limerick took third place with 73 units.

Leitrim remains the county with the least amount of new tractors registered since January with nine new units.

It was followed by Longford with 14 and Carlow and Wicklow, both with 19 new registrations for the year to date.

Carlow and Louth recorded the lowest number of new tractor registrations during May, having registered just one new tractor apiece.

Tractors in the power band lower than 100hp now account for 9.9% of all new tractor registrations, slightly lower than for the same month in 2023.

Meanwhile, the over 200hp category now accounts for 14.9% of all new tractors.

The monthly average tractor horsepower figure for May 2024 was 155hp.

Used tractors

The FTMTA data shows that 1,237 used tractors have been imported and registered in the Republic of Ireland for the first time between January and May, a decline of 13.1%. A total of 302 imported used tractors were first-time registered in Ireland during May 2024, 30 units less than in May 2023.

Northern Ireland

The Agricultural Engineers Association (AEA) reports that 266 new tractors were first-time registered in Northern Ireland during the first five months of 2024.

This compares with 278 units for the corresponding period in 2023, or a decrease of 4.4%.

For May 2024, 54 new tractors were registered in Northern Ireland, a 19.4% decrease on May 2023 when 67 new tractors were registered.

UK

More broadly speaking, the UK (including NI) recorded 5,013 new tractor registrations between January and the end of May this year, a decrease of 11.3% when compared to the five-month period in 2023.

A total of 964 new tractors were registered during May 2024 across the whole of the UK, a 5.4% decline on May 2023.