New tractor registrations are at their highest level since 2008 (when 4,531 new tractors were sold), according to the latest figures from the Farm Tractor & Machinery Trade Association (FTMTA).

The figures show that October’s 119 new registrations brought the 10-month total for 2021 to 2,305.

New registrations were up 40% (34 units) in October on the same month last year.

Registrations for the year to date are currently running 25% higher than the same period last year. In unit terms, registrations are up 459 units from the 1,846 units registered in the same period last year.

Counties

The three counties with the highest levels of registrations over the first 10 months were Cork (288 units), Tipperary (188) and Wexford (155).

Leitrim (24) and Longford (27) are the counties with the lowest level of registrations this year.

The 101hp to 140hp range is the power band with the highest level of registrations this year at 1,143 units, accounting for almost 50% of all registrations.

During the same period, 11% of all tractors registered were of 100hp or less, 31% were between 141hp to 200hp, while 8% were over 200hp.

Northern Ireland up 41%

Figures from the Agricultural Engineers Association (AEA) show that there were 24 new tractors registered in Northern Ireland in October, down 33% on the same month last year.

Despite the drop in October, the year-to-date total is already 145 machines higher than the total for the whole of 2020 in Northern Ireland.

This brings the total year-to-date figure to 498 units, a sizeable 41% increase on the same period in 2020.

UK registrations up 19%

Figures from the AEA also show that 804 new tractors were registered across the UK in October. The monthly figure was 17.4% higher than that of October 2020.

The AEA noted that the widespread disruptions experienced throughout global supply chains means that delivery lead times remain longer than usual.

Without that, the monthly figure might have been even higher and, indeed, it is 7% below the average for the time of year during the five years prior to 2020.

Despite this, the number of tractors registered in the UK this year up to the end of October (10,656 machines) has already exceeded the total for the whole of last year.