UK tractor registrations are taken as a broad indicator of the strength of the domestic market for agricultural equipment. Tractors must be licensed for use on public roads and as such are registered with the Department for Transport which allows an accurate count to be made. In value terms, sales of tractors, plus parts and accessories, account for almost one half of farmers’ total spend on equipment, which again makes this data series a prime indicator.
Agricultural Tractor Registrations (>50 hp) : Monthly 2018-2019
| Year | Month | Units | Yearly % Change | Year to date | Yearly % Change | Moving Total | Yearly % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Jan | 698 | +10.1 | 698 | +10.1 | 12097 | +13.6 |
| Feb | 584 | -5.8 | 1282 | +2.2 | 12061 | +12.6 | |
| Mar | 1650 | -6.8 | 2932 | -3.0 | 11941 | +6.2 | |
| Apr | 1189 | +10.9 | 4121 | +0.6 | 12058 | +6.8 | |
| May | 1221 | +21.1 | 5342 | +4.7 | 12271 | +8.3 | |
| Jun | 1187 | +14.4 | 6529 | +6.3 | 12420 | +9.3 | |
| Jul | 1347 | +23.5 | 7876 | +8.9 | 12676 | +10.1 | |
| Aug | 862 | -1.8 | 8738 | +7.7 | 12660 | +10.7 | |
| Sep | 968 | +2.2 | 9706 | +7.2 | 12681 | +12.5 | |
| Oct | 836 | -1.2 | 10542 | +6.4 | 12671 | +15.0 | |
| Nov | 711 | -7.5 | 11253 | +5.4 | 12613 | +12.7 | |
| Dec | 849 | -37.6 | 12102 | +0.6 | 12102 | +0.6 | |
| 2019 | Jan | 693 | -0.7 | 693 | -0.7 | 12097 | = |
| Feb | 518 | -11.3 | 1211 | -5.5 | 12031 | -0.2 | |
| Mar | 1843 | +11.7 | 3054 | +4.2 | 12224 | +2.4 | |
| Apr | 1744 | +46.7 | 4798 | +16.4 | 12779 | +6.0 | |
| May | 1008 | -17.4 | 5806 | +8.7 | 12566 | +2.4 | |
| Jun | 1160 | -2.3 | 6966 | +6.7 | 12539 | +1.0 | |
| Jul | 1590 | +18.0 | 8556 | +8.6 | 12782 | +0.8 | |
| Aug | 712 | -17.4 | 9268 | +6.1 | 12632 | -0.2 | |
| Sep | 1044 | +7.9 | 10312 | +6.2 | 12708 | +0.2 | |
| Oct | 806 | -3.6 | 11118 | +5.5 | 12678 | +0.1 | |
| Nov | 558 | -21.5 | 11676 | +3.8 | 12525 | -0.7 | |
| Dec | 657 | -22.6 | 12333 | +1.9 | 12333 | +1.9 |
From the start of 2020, we have revised the methodology used to calculate agricultural tractor registrations. The table below contains figures for 2019 on the revised basis, along with those for 2020 to date.
Agricultural Tractor Registrations (>50hp): Monthly 2019-2020 (new methodology)
| Year | Month | Units | Yearly % Change | Year to date | Yearly % Change | Moving Total | Yearly % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Jan | 692 | -0.6 | 692 | -0.6 | 12009 | = |
| Feb | 518 | -10.5 | 1210 | -5.1 | 11948 | -0.2 | |
| Mar | 1840 | +11.7 | 3050 | +4.4 | 12141 | +2.4 | |
| Apr | 1744 | +47.3 | 4794 | +16.8 | 12701 | +6.1 | |
| May | 1008 | -16.2 | 5802 | +9.3 | 12506 | +2.8 | |
| Jun | 1100 | -7.0 | 6902 | +6.3 | 12423 | +0.9 | |
| Jul | 1548 | +16.5 | 8450 | +8.0 | 12642 | +0.7 | |
| Aug | 667 | -21.3 | 9117 | +5.2 | 12461 | -0.7 | |
| Sep | 1010 | +5.3 | 10127 | +5.2 | 12512 | -0.4 | |
| Oct | 771 | -7.3 | 10898 | +4.2 | 12451 | -0.9 | |
| Nov | 522 | -26.2 | 11420 | +2.3 | 12266 | -1.9 | |
| Dec | 620 | -26.7 | 12040 | +0.2 | 12040 | +0.2 | |
| 2020 | Jan | 477 | -31.1 | 477 | -31.1 | 11825 | -1.5 |
| Feb | 575 | +11.0 | 1052 | -13.1 | 11882 | -0.6 | |
| Mar | 1763 | -4.2 | 2815 | -7.7 | 11805 | -2.8 | |
| Apr | 862 | -50.6 | 3677 | -23.3 | 10923 | -14.0 |
Source: AEA Economics Department
Agricultural Tractors: Strong growth in the early months of 2019 meant that total registrations in 2019 were 2% higher than in 2018, at 12,333 units. However, the 2018 figure understated the true size of the market due to a large number of pre-registrations in late 2017 ahead of the application of the ‘Mother Regulation’. Therefore, the figures indicate that the size of the tractor market for 2019 as a whole will have been significantly down on the previous year. Registrations were high in the spring, when numbers are thought to have been inflated by machines being brought into the country ahead of the original Brexit date of 29 March 2019. However, from May to December, registrations were 6% lower than in the same period of 2018 and the annual decline accelerated in the closing months of the year.
History: Tractor registrations rose for the third year in a row in 2019, although the increases in the last two years have been small. This followed a prolonged period of decline and numbers are still well below the peak years around a decade ago. The second chart shows that the total power of machines registered in 2019 topped 2 million horsepower for the second year in a row. However, the average power dropped slightly in 2019, due to reduced registrations of the highest-powered machines.
Regional: At regional level, the number of tractors registered in the Midlands and North of England in 2019 was lower than in 2018, most notably in the East Midlands which had experienced a big increase during the previous year. However, most southern English regions saw increases as did Scotland and Northern Ireland, while the total for Wales was little changed.
Source: AEA Economics Department
| 2017 | 2018 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Company | Units | % of Total | Units | % of Total |
| John Deere | 3915 | 28.4 | 4405 | 31.9 |
| CNH of which: New Holland Case IH | 3208 2180 1028 | 23.3 15.8 7.5 | 4032 2532 1500 | 29.2 18.4 10.9 |
| AGCO of which: MF Fendt Valtra | 3613 1973 1023 617 | 26.2 14.3 7.4 4.5 | 2940 1350 925 665 | 21.3 9.8 6.7 4.8 |
| Kubota | 948 | 6.9 | 746 | 5.4 |
| Claas | 483 | 3.5 | 528 | 3.8 |
| JCB | 327 | 2.4 | 302 | 2.2 |
| Same Deutz-Fahr | 298 | 2.2 | 209 | 1.5 |
| AgriArgo of which: McCormick Landini | 326 194 132 | 2.4 1.4 1.0 | 131 86 45 | 0.9 0.6 0.3 |
| Zetor | 101 | 0.7 | 36 | 0.3 |
| Others | 549 | 4.0 | 466 | 3.4 |
| Total UK | 13768 | 100.0 | 13795 | 100.0 |
N.B. Data includes Compact Tractors (<= 50 hp) and Agricultural tractors (> 50 hp)
Case includes Steyr, Fendt includes Challenger, McCormick includes Valpadana
Data released after one year delay. Note: market shares in 2017 and 2018 will have been affected by high levels of pre-registrations in late 2017.
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Units | 13347 | 14094 | 13951 | 12498 | 12433 | 10842 | 10602 | 12033 | 12102 | 12333 |
| Annual % Change | -11.1 | +5.6 | -1 | -10.4 | -0.5 | -12.8 | -2.2 | +13.5 | +0.6 | +1.9 |
| Total horsepower (000′s) | 1892 | 2033 | 2066 | 1883 | 1928 | 1702 | 1678 | 1951 | 2016 | 2033 |
| Annual % Change | -12.1 | +7.5 | +1.6 | -8.8 | +2.4 | -11.7 | -1.4 | +16.3 | +3.3 | +0.8 |
| Average horsepower | 141.7 | 144.3 | 148 | 150.7 | 155.1 | 157 | 158.3 | 162.2 | 166.6 | 164.8 |
| Annual % Change | -1.2 | +1.8 | +2.6 | +1.8 | +2.9 | +1.2 | +0.8 | +2.4 | +2.7 | -1.1 |
