UK Tractor Registrations Break 15,000 In 2009

The final count of registration for road use of agricultural tractors (over 50hp) in the UK for 2009 was 15,013 which represents a decline of 12.2% on the recent-record 2008 levels.

The industry had largely anticipated this level of activity as it was widely accepted that the 2008 results represented the peak of the cycle when investment was made in response especially to the high volumes and prices from the 2007 cereal harvest. Subsequently farm returns have been much lower, not least due to higher input costs for 2008 production. The early part of 2009 saw strong results as deliveries were made of units ordered during 2008, but subsequently the market quietened.

During the first decade of the century registrations averaged around 13,800 units, ranging between 10,304 (in 2000) and 17,104 (in 2008) so the 2009 unit figure remains 9% above the average (excluding size increase- see below).

The average size of unit sold in 2009 is provisionally put at 143.4 hp which would be a 3.9% increase on the preceding year and no less than 35% above the 2000 level. In terms of total horsepower sold the 2009 level of 2.15 million hp was 21% above the average for the decade.

It can therefore be seen that sales have remained at elevated levels and are therefore likely to ease over the coming months but much depends on the outlook for farming and there does appear to be a fundamental underlying confidence in agriculture despite the cereal and dairy sectors struggling to cover production costs in the recent past.