When we look back on 30 years of the Irish tractor market, 1986 was a year of some significance. This was the year when the Irish market for new tractors reached its lowest point, with 1,588 new tractors registered that year (Table 1).

What was also significant that year was that imports of used tractors were more than three times the new tractor sales figure, due to a very weak farming economy. Farmers were facing poor prices and the outlook was dull, forcing more to look for secondhand tractor value, while some farmers were also considering the purchase of their first tractor.

The Irish pound was linked to sterling in value, so farmers and machinery dealers could easily see the value on offer across the Irish Sea. Thousands of used tractors were flooding on to the UK market and they were feeding the Irish demand for modest-size tractors. Each week, truckloads of UK-origin used tractors arrived in Ireland, with Massey Ferguson, Ford and David Brown the dominant brands.

The most recent trends indicate that imports of used tractors are increasing, but today there are other factors that were not present in 1986.

The significant factor was the size of tractors on farms. Tractors of more than 80hp accounted for only 4% of all tractors in the country at that time. In the west and northwest, this figure was as low as 1.2% . We have come a long way since then and tractors over 120hp now dominate the market and account for 80% or more of all new tractor sales in 2016.

That year I was present at an interesting Massey Ferguson-hosted information event to coincide with the Smithfield Show in London. There, the Massey Ferguson (MF) team looked at the role of the tractor against the background of world agriculture. The MF team was predicting that the world tractor market would be dominated by tractors in the 41hp to 110hp category, which was accounting for 73% of world tractor sales at the time, and 67% of tractor sales in the developed world.

Thirty years ago this week was also the time that Massey Ferguson launched the 3000 and 300 Series tractors. The 300 Series were considered the “everyman tractors”, with an appeal across the world.

In Ireland, the MF 300 Series tractors soon dominated the market. The MF 390 was the market leader for a period of time. It is interesting that 30 years later this tractor still dominates the used tractor import figures for the Irish market.

MF launched the MF3000 Series tractors for agri-businessmen. They pitched these tractors as being for farmers who put value on optimising performance. They said that the MF3000 Series tractors were for “book-keeping farmers”.

The MF3000 Series consisted of five models and their outstanding feature was the introduction of an electronic three-point linkage control system. The models at introduction included the MF 3050, 3060, 3070, 3080 and 3090. The two smaller models were fitted with a four-cylinder Perkins A4.236 engine and rated at 60hp and 77hp. The three larger models were fitted with a six-cylinder Perkins A6.354 engine, boosted to 107hp for the largest 3090 model.

The tractors were available as either Autotronic or Datatronic models, and were a brand new design from the company. The Datatronic versions were the higher-specification models and came with lots of new automatic features, including a new Speedshift transmission to replace the Multi-Power and Speedshift provided engine braking at all times.

The cab and bonnet designs were a break from the traditional Massey Ferguson design and were a far cry from the MF600 Series that they replaced. The cab was fitted with a one-piece windscreen for improved driver visibility.

Ireland’s leading farm machinery model maker, Ciaran Dunne of Perfect-32 farm models, Thurles, has created a new model of the Armer Salmon Beaver twin-row sugar beet harvester in 1:32 scale to match the most popular farm machinery model sizes. The new model, which will be expensive as it is a hand-made model, will be on show for the first time at the Kilkenny Model Show, which takes place at Cillin Hill, Kilkenny this Sunday, 6 November.

Ciaran says that he will only be making batches of 10 of these models. Ciaran developed the new model after the success he had last year with the single row Almer Salmon Cheetah beet harvester where he sold all of the 20 limited edition models within the first two hours of opening the Kilkenny Model Show.

Ciaran has put in hundreds of hours of work into measuring the real machine, designing all the parts from brass etchings, CNC machining, sticker designs and printing. He had help from Brian Bolger, Cdmodelz, for 3D printing the rails, lathe work with the wheel rims, and the moulding and casting of the rubber tyres. Ciaran says that building the model takes seven days when all parts are ready.

Bracknagh raised €8,550 for Crumlin

The Bracknagh Tractor Run committee in Offaly held a very successful recent tractor run where they collected €8,500 which will be used to buy medical equipment for Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Crumlin, Dublin. Over 100 tractors turned out for the event, which was well supported by local tractor owners.

Irish Farmers Journal Vintage Diary

Date Event & Location Contact

6 November South Eastern Vintage Jumble, Ardattin, Carlow 087-238 5195

6 November Kilkenny Model Show, The Hub, Cillin Hill, Kilkenny 087-7947352

20 November Cork Model Fest, Cork Airport Hotel, Cork 087-235 5379

4 December Newport Model & Diorama Show, Tipperary

10/11 December Durrow Diescast & Model Show, Durrow, Laois 086-8860598

26 December Four Counties Vintage Christmas Tractor Run, Meath 087-276 8406

*Dates are subject to change. The Irish Farmers Journal does not take responsibility for date or venue changes. Please contact each event before you travel.