New tractor registrations continue to decline in the Republic of Ireland, as a total of 111 new tractors were registered for the month of August.

This takes the total number of new tractor registrations for the eight-month period of 2024 to 1,638 units, according to the latest data from the Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association (FTMTA).

When comparing August 2024 data with the corresponding data for 2023, new registrations are back 29 units or 21%.

Downward trend

Meanwhile, the 2024 year-to-date figure continues its downward trend compared with 2023 as the year progresses. The market is down 218 units or one further percentage point since July to -12%.

However, it is important to bear in mind that this current decline in the market is the trend right across Europe and across the world.

The county with the highest number of new registrations recorded for August, which ultimately corresponds to sales was Wexford, having recorded 14 new registrations.

Co Cork continues to power ahead as the county with the most new tractors registered up until the end of August, totalling 213 tractors or 13% of the country’s total new tractors registered to date.

The only other county in three-digit figures up to the end of August was Tipperary, with a total of 144 new registrations. Wexford places third for the year to date with 93 units.

Leitrim (16), Longford (23) and Wicklow (28) are the three counties with the lowest number of registrations for the year to date.

Power band

The most popular power band was the 161hp to 200hp category, which for August 2024 accounted for 23.02% of all new tractor registrations for the month.

Tractors in the power band lower than 100hp accounted for 8.97% of all new tractor registrations, slightly lower than for the same month in 2023.

The monthly average tractor horsepower for August 2024 was 148hp and the largest tractor registered was rated at 411hp.

Used tractors

The FTMTA data also shows used tractor registrations. There were 203 used imported tractors registered in Ireland during August 2024, one more unit compared with the month in 2023.

For the year to date, 1,906 used tractors were imported and registered for the first time, an 8.8% decline.

Northern Ireland and Britain

For the year to date, the Northern Irish tractor market remains more buoyant than the Republic of Ireland and the rest of the UK.

Agricultural Engineers Association (AEA) figures show that there were 23 new tractors registered in Northern Ireland in August, back 39.4% from 38 units registered during the same month last year.

This brings the total year-to-date figure to 384 units, just six units or 1.5% behind that registered for the eight-month period in 2023.

A total of 495 new units were registered in August across the whole of the UK, down 30.7% on 2023.

A total of 7,325 new tractors have been registered for the year to date, 15% fewer than in the opening eight months of last year and the lowest for four years.