Agricultural tractor registrations up 10% UK-wide in January to March 2023

According to the latest report of the Agricultural Engineers Association (AEA), UK agricultural tractor registrations were 10% higher in the first three months of 2023 compared to the same period

According to the latest report of the Agricultural Engineers Association (AEA), UK agricultural tractor registrations were 10% higher in the first three months of 2023 compared to the same period last year. This is partly due to the increased availability of machines as supply chain disruptions ease.

Most of the growth in registrations from January to March this year was for tractors of 160hp and over, particularly those in the 161-200hp range, where 80% more tractors were recorded than in the same period last year.

Registrations of machines over 200hp have also seen a year-on-year increase of more than 20%, although with fewer sales of tractors under 160hp in the opening three months of 2023.

The trends in higher power bands may partly reflect improved availability as supply chain disruptions subside. The market has also likely seen stronger demand from arable farmers who have benefitted from healthy prices over the last two years.

This is also reflected at regional level, as registrations increased across most of England, with the exception of the North West. The biggest increases were in the South of England and East Anglia, both prime arable regions, as well as the North East, although the latter region accounts for only a small proportion of tractor sales.

On the other hand, the figures showed a different trend in parts of the UK dominated by grazing livestock farming, which fared less well financially in 2022. Wales and Northern Ireland have had slightly fewer registrations than last year, with Scotland only reporting a slight increase in numbers throughout the January-March period.