New tractor registrations were up 12% for May, compared with May 2015, according the latest data from the Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association (FTMTA) statistics service.

The figures show that 225 new tractors were registered in May, compared with 201 in May of 2015, giving an overall year-to-date market increase of 7%.

For the first five months of 2016, there were 1,261 new tractors registered and 753 used tractors imported into Ireland.

Used tractor imports have continued to decline by over 11% compared with the first five months of 2015, due to a combination of a poor new tractor market in the UK, where it has dropped by over 13% and the fact that sterling has remained relatively high against the euro.

Cork continues to be the county with the highest number of new tractor registrations, followed by Tipperary and Galway, Wexford and Meath.

Tractor power continues to increase and the May 2016 figures show that over 52% of the new tractors registered were rated at over 120hp.