Industry Facts
The overall value of turnover of A.E.A. members, both manufacturers and suppliers to the British market, was estimated to be over £3.5 billion in 2007. Exports for tractors, agricultural machinery and outdoor power equipment accounted for some £1.5 billion.
For an Overview of the Agricultural Machinery Industry click here
Agricultural Engineering Industry
For the agricultural engineering sector total turnover was estimated at some £2.9 billion, £1.7 billion of this being contributed by UK based manufacturers. Within this total the export trade exceeded £1.4 billion.
The UK agricultural engineering industry is a net earner in balance of trade terms
with a surplus of over £200 million.
Domestic Market: In 2007 15540 agricultural tractor units were registered, this was an increase of 14.6% on the previous year in unit terms. The average horsepower rose by 4.4% to 134 hp which meant that total horsepower sold in the year rose by 19.6%.
The value of sales of other agricultural machinery in the UK is estimated to be over £730 million, an increase of almost a quarter compared with the previous year.
Outdoor Power Equipment
The total domestic market for outdoor power equipment has been estimated at almost £550 million in 2007, reflecting an increase of some 6% on the previous year.
UNITED KINGDOM TRACTOR REGISTRATIONS
Agricultural Tractor Registrations (>50 hp) : Monthly 2006-2008
| Yearly | Year | Yearly | Yearly | ||||
| % | to | % | Moving | % | |||
| Year | Month | Units | Change | date | Change | Total | Change |
| 2006 |
Jan
|
676 | -1.0 | 676 | -1.0 | 13061 | |
|
Feb
|
630 | -2.3 | 1306 | -1.7 | 13046 | ||
|
Mar
|
1613 | 3.5 | 2919 | 1.1 | 13101 | ||
|
Apr
|
1338 | -5.2 | 4257 | -1.0 | 13027 | ||
|
May
|
1569 | 4.7 | 5826 | 0.5 | 13097 | ||
|
Jun
|
1344 | 5.1 | 7170 | 1.3 | 13162 | ||
|
July
|
1580 | 5.8 | 8750 | 2.1 | 13248 | ||
|
Aug
|
1177 | -1.5 | 9927 | 1.7 | 13230 | ||
|
Sept
|
1190 | -1.9 | 11117 | 1.3 | 13207 | ||
|
Oct
|
994 | 11.7 | 12111 | 2.0 | 13311 | ||
|
Nov
|
735 | 8.2 | 12846 | 2.4 | 13367 | ||
|
Dec
|
720 | 38.2 | 13566 | 3.8 | 13566 |
3.8
|
|
| 2007 |
Jan
|
734 | 8.6 | 734 | 8.6 | 13624 | 4.3 |
|
Feb
|
777 | 23.3 | 1511 | 15.7 | 13771 | 5.6 | |
|
Mar
|
1851 | 14.8 | 3362 | 15.2 | 14009 | 6.9 | |
|
Apr
|
1645 | 22.9 | 5007 | 17.6 | 14316 | 9.9 | |
|
May
|
1527 | -2.7 | 6534 | 12.2 | 14274 | 9.0 | |
|
Jun
|
1509 | 12.3 | 8043 | 12.2 | 14439 | 9.7 | |
|
July
|
1815 | 14.9 | 9858 | 12.7 | 14674 | 10.8 | |
|
Aug
|
1614
|
37.1
|
11472
|
15.6
|
15111
|
14.2 | |
|
Sept
|
1400 | 17.6 | 12872 | 15.8 | 15321 | 16.0 | |
|
Oct
|
1047 | 5.3 | 13919 | 14.9 | 15374 | 15.5 | |
|
Nov
|
907 | 23.4 | 14826 | 15,4 | 15546 | 16.3 | |
|
Dec
|
714 | -0.8 | 15540 | 14.6 | 15540 | 14.6 | |
| 2008 |
Jan
|
767 | 4.5 | 767 | 4.5 | 15573 | 14.3 |
|
Feb
|
692 | -10.9 | 1459 | -3.4 | 15488 | 12.5 | |
|
Mar
|
2003
|
8.2
|
3462
|
3.0
|
15640
|
11.6 | |
|
Apr
|
2116
|
28.6
|
5578
|
11.4
|
16111
|
12.5 | |
|
May
|
1892
|
23.9
|
7470
|
14.3
|
16476
|
15.4 | |
|
Jun
|
1796
|
19.0
|
9266
|
15.2
|
16763
|
16.1 | |
|
Jul
|
2185
|
20.4
|
11451
|
16.2
|
17133
|
16.8 | |
|
Aug
|
1588
|
-1.6
|
13039
|
13.7
|
17107
|
13.2 | |
|
Sep
|
1684
|
20.3
|
14723
|
14.4
|
17391
|
13.5 | |
|
Oct
|
1047
|
0.0
|
15770
|
13.3
|
17391
|
13.1 |
Source: A.E.A. Economics Department

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 Tractors: Improved farm incomes, particularly for the arable sector, resulted in sales levels holding up well right through the year.


History: The first chart below illustrates a cyclical pattern around a longer term downward trend, with 2007/08 emerging as the peak for this decade; the power sold in recent years is shown in the second chart.


Regional: The more westerly regions have been grouped in the first chart below; these tend to include more dairy and livestock enterprises. The more easterly regions are shown on the second chart and these tend to have a predominantly arable base. With the healthy crop prices enjoyed throughout the year, the three strongest arable areas are showing the largest increases, with the exception of Scotland.


UK TRACTOR REGISTRATIONS : Market Share Analysis
Source: AEA Economics Department
|
2005
|
2006
|
|||
|
% of Total
|
% of Total | |||
| Company | Units | Units | ||
| John Deere |
3858
|
27.5
|
3861
|
25.8
|
|
CNH |
3217 |
23.0 |
3584 |
24.0 |
|
AGCO |
3331
2461 553 317 |
23.8
17.6 3.9 2.3 |
3472
2580 535 357 |
23.2
17.3 3.6 2.4 |
| McCormick |
1100
|
7.9
|
860
|
5.8
|
| Claas |
579
|
4.1
|
732
|
4.9
|
| Same Deutz-Fahr |
622
|
4.2
|
||
| Kubota |
536
|
3.6
|
||
| Landini |
177
|
1.3
|
192
|
1.3
|
| JCB |
202
|
1.4
|
182
|
1.2
|
| Others |
1542
|
11.0
|
900
|
6.0
|
| Total UK |
14006
|
100.0
|
14941
|
100.0
|
| N.B. Data includes Compact Tractors (<= 50 hp) and Agricultural tractors (> 50 hp) Case includes Steyr, MF includes Challenger Data released after one year delay |
||||
UK AGRICULTURAL TRACTOR REGISTRATIONS (> 50 hp)
| 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | |
| Units | 15104 | 9468 | 10911 | 10304 | 11523 | 13878 | 14445 | 14750 | 13068 | 13566 | 15540 |
| Annual % Change |
-17.9 | -37.3 | 15.2 | -5.6 | 11.8 | 20.4 | 4.1 | 2.1 | -11.4 | 3.8 | 14.6 |
| Total horsepower (000's) |
1665 | 1053 | 1279 | 1241 | 1376 | 1646 | 1819 | 1900 | 1667 | 1741 | 2082 |
| Annual % Change | -14.9 | -36.8 | 21.5 | -3.0 | 10.9 | 19.6 | 10.5 | 4.4 | -12.2 | 4.4 | 19.6 |
| Average horsepower |
110.3 | 111.2 | 117.2 | 120.5 | 119.5 | 118.6 | 126.0 | 128.8 | 127.6 | 128.3 | 134.0 |
| Annual % Change | 3.7 | 0.9 | 5.4 | 2.8 | -0.8 | -0.7 | 6.2 | 2.3 | -1.0 | 0.6 | 4.4 |