Farms & Farm Machinery #383

MARKET NEWS
Left: Sales of tractors with 200hp and above
were down 6 per cent in February
February tractor
sales down
Gary Northover is executive
director of the Tractor & Machinery
Association of Australia (TMA).
He can be contacted on
(03) 9813 8011 or
at gary@tma.asn.au
Tractor sales in February just failed to meet last year’s level,
falling short by 2 per cent compared to last February – with
2020’s year to date tractor sales now sitting 8.5 per cent below
where they were this time in 2019.
While there was some (very welcome) widespread rainfall
throughout February, it will take some time to translate to
improved sales; and judging by the level of optimism being seen
in the market, an overall improvement is hoped for.
The story in February was a little more positive due mainly to
the lift in sales in Victoria, which was up 13 per cent on the same
month last year and is now 6 per cent ahead for the year so far.
Activity in the northern states remains subdued, with NSW
down 6 per cent on last February and 16 per cent down year
to date, while Queensland sales were down 11 per cent for the
month and now 18 per cent behind last year.
The story in the west is somewhat downbeat with Western
Australia 7 per cent down for the month, 4 per cent down YTD
and South Australia down a further 6 per cent, now 13 per cent
behind last year. Finally, the strong run in Tasmania continues,
6 per cent up for the month and now 22 per cent ahead for the
first two months of the yea .
Sales were once again strongest in the 100 to 200hp (75–
150kW) category this February, up another 9 per cent. The 200hp
(150kW) and above range was down 6 per cent for the month,
the 40 to 100hp (30 –75kW) range was also down 9 per cent and
the under 40hp (30kW) range again struggled, down 5 per cent.
It’s this smaller “leisure” market that we expect to struggle a
little over the coming months. Traditionally, this market has been
sensitive to the general well-being of the economy and with
recessionary conditions imminent, demand could suffer.
Conditions for combine harvester sales continue to be very
challenging, with only a small number of sales completing again
in February.
As previously stated, the forward orders position is not great so
most business will be completed from existing stock, of which
there appears to be plenty.
Baler sales have taken a bit of a dip again in February and are
now down 36 per cent on last year, though expectations remain
high for a very strong year once again.
And finall , sales of out front mowers jumped in February
but are still 10 per cent behind where they were the same time
last year.
goldacres
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