With 42 new telescopic loaders registered in March, registrations are down 38% (26 machines) on the same month last year, according to the Farm Tractor & Machinery Trade Association (FTMTA).

Despite this drop, total registrations for the first quarter of the year are standing at 209 units, up over 14% (26 machines) on the same period last year. Cork (40 units), Meath (37 units) and Wexford (17 units) are the counties that recorded the highest levels of registrations.

Meanwhile, 20 new wheel loaders were registered in March, meaning registrations were down 35% on the same month last year.

This brings the total wheel loader registrations for the first three months of 2022 to 71 units, also up over 14.5% on the corresponding year to date figure of 62 units in 2021.

Backhoe loaders

Backhoe loader registrations are going through a resurgence, with 28 new machines registered for the year to date.

This is up 33% on the 21 units registered in the same period last year, while 19 units were registered in the same period in 2020.

FTMTA figures show that 209 new telescopic loaders were registered in the first three months of 2022, up over 14% on the same period last year.