Tractor registrations for the month of July hit a nine year record high with a total of 281 units registered, up over 12% on July 2018 figures. July 2008 was the last month that seen registrations surpass this with a total of 314 units registered. To put this figure in context a total of 4,531 tractors were registered during 2008, annual registrations since have not even came close to half this figure.

If we compare this year’s June sales (65) to the July sales (281), we see that the July registration figures are far ahead, with 216 more units registered just one month on. This has been the trend for a number of years now, with the most likely explanation being the half-yearly registration system (191 and 192 for 2019) that came into play in 2013.

In total, the first seven months of 2019 has seen 1,659 new registrations, up 86 units on the same time last year. According to Gary Ryan of the FTMTA, the outlook for the next five months gives hope that total annual registrations may finally climb above the 2,000 mark, the first time since 2008.

Counties

The three counties with the highest registrations so far this year continue to be Cork with 223 units, Tipperary having 156 and Wexford seeing a total of 116 tractors ready for road.

The most popular model, with 15 units registered, was the New Holland T7.210, closely followed by the John Deere 6155R on 11. For some time now the trend has been towards higher horse power tractors with 92% of tractors registered so far this year being over 100hp, 60% over 120hp and 32% having more than 150hp.

The most standout tractor registered in July was a 370hp John Deere 8370RT tracked tractor.