Tractor registrations improve in August

The latest tractor registrations figures issued by the FTMTA cover the first eight months of the year and show a big improvement in the tractor market in August. There were 129 new units registered in the last month, which is a 46% increase on the 88 units registered during the same month in 2016. A total of 1,535 units have been registered during the period under review, which is an 8% reduction on the 1,666 units registered in same period of 2016.

FTMTA sees the August registrations as encouraging and a strong indicator of renewed customer confidence. New registrations for January 2017 were down 15% on January 2016 but this situation has improved as the year progresses.

FTMTA chief executive Gary Ryan highlights the closing of this gap to 8% as the year moves on “as a sign of a recovering market driven in large part by an improvement in dairy pricing”.

The FTMTA chief executive believes that the improving registrations position points to ongoing confidence delivering a stronger new tractor market into 2018. Cork, Tipperary and Wexford are the three counties with the highest levels of new tractors registrations in 2017 with 185, 135 and 97 units, respectively, registered so far.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, given the evidence of a recovering construction sector, registrations of both backhoe loaders and wheeled loaders have seen strong growth during 2017.

There have been 44 backhoe loaders registered during the first eight months of the year, which is an increase of one-third on the corresponding period of last year. Likewise, registrations of wheeled loaders at 71 units for the year so far are up by in excess of 30% on the same time in 2016.

New members for FTMTA

The September meeting of the FTMTA executive council was pleased to admit a further three firms to the membership of the association.

Gary Brogan Tractors is based at Shanagarry, Newcastle West, Co Limerick, on the main Limerick to Killarney road. The business is a dealer for Landini tractors, as well as the Fleming, Bomford and Hardi ranges of equipment.

The business, led by Gary Brogan, can be contacted at 069-78942 and the website is garybrogantractors.ie.

Colemans Millstreet Ltd is a long-established New Holland dealership located at Minor Row, Millstreet, Co Cork. The business is led by John Coleman and can be contacted on 029-70011, while the website is www.colemansmillstreet.com.

Kerry Tractors is located at Carrigeendaniel, Tralee, Co Kerry. The business, led by Don Holland, is a dealer for Massey Ferguson, Krone and Amazone. Kerry Tractors can be contacted on 066-712 7463 and the website is at www.kerrytractors.ie.

The FTMTA executive council believes that the growing membership of FTMTA and ongoing recruitment of additional members greatly strengthens the association in promoting and supporting a professional and viable farm machinery industry to the advantage of the trade and its customers. The development of the membership base to be more widely representative of all aspects of the sector has been a priority for the association in recent years.