A total of 220 used tractors were imported to Ireland in August, an 11% increase on the 198 units in August 2021, according to figures from the Farm Tractor & Machinery Trade Association (FTMTA).

There were 1,821 used tractors first registered by the end of August, in comparison with 2,803 units for the first eight months of 2021, representing a reduction of over 35%.

Meanwhile, 151 new tractors were registered in August, down 15% on the 177 units registered in the same month last year.

A total of 1,840 new tractors have been registered in the first eight months of this year, down 12% from the 2,084 new tractors registered during the same period in 2021.

However, this figure is still above the 1,626 units registered in 2020 and the 1,767 units in 2019.

Supply chain disruptions

The FTMTA says the continuing impact of disruptions to global supply chains is affecting the numbers of tractors being registered in Ireland and that there remains a strong demand for new tractors.

Cork continues to deliver the highest number of new tractor registrations with 260 so far this year, followed by Tipperary (148) and Wexford (124).

The most popular power band has moved to the 141-160hp category, which for the year to date has accounted for 20.82% of all new tractors.

Tractors below 100hp account for 10.32%, while tractors over 200hp account for 9.62%.

Northern Ireland

Agricultural Engineers Association figures show there were 42 new tractors registered in Northern Ireland in August, up on the 36 units registered in the same month last year.

This brings the year-to-date figure to 402 units, down 7% (30 units) on the 432 registered for the same period in 2021.

After a couple of months of year-on-year declines, UK registrations moved slightly above last year’s level in August.

At 834 machines, the monthly figure was just five higher than in August 2021 and only slightly further ahead of the August average from the previous five years.

The total for the year to date (8,227 units) was still 5% lower than in January to August 2021.