Used tractor imports in September have shown a continuation of the pattern of recent months with a strong recovery in registrations.

The month witnessed a 35% increase in comparison to the same month in 2019, according to figures from the Farm Tractor & Machinery Trade Association (FTMTA).

The figures show that 358 used tractors were imported during September, up considerably from the 236 units in September 2019. This brings the total number of imported units for the nine months to 1,894 tractors, a drop of 20% on the 2,355 units imported during the same period last year.

September marked the third consecutive month of a year-on-year increase in the registration of imported used tractors

Allowing for the fact that there were 803 less used imports registered in the second quarter of 2020 than in 2019, this is a quite significant recovery.

Gary Ryan, chief executive of the FTMTA, said: “The registration of such tractors had effectively collapsed during the second quarter when it was not possible to conduct such activity at the NCT centres as would be the most common practice.

“September marked the third consecutive month of a year-on-year increase in the registration of imported used tractors as it became possible, once again, to register machines at the NCT centres.”

Combines

Two further new combine harvesters were registered during September, bringing the total for the year to 40 units, as against 45 in the full year of 2019. An additional nine used imported combines were also registered during September to bring the total of such machines to 29 units. There were no further registrations of new self-propelled foragers during September, leaving the total for the year at 33 units.