The number of agricultural tractors registered in the first half of 2024 was down 13% compared with the same period in 2023. Now, the Agricultural Engineers Association (AEA) has provided a breakdown of those figures by power and region.
When looking at the power of machines registered, the AEA reports a clear divide between the most powerful tractors and the rest of the market.
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The number of tractors over 240hp was up 46.5%, with 887 machines registered compared with 707 the year before. Tractors over 240hp have made up 15.1% of the market so far in 2024.
Horsepower increase
In contrast, every power bracket below 240hp saw a decline, with a 20% drop year on year. The AEA notes that this imbalance in the power ratings means the average horsepower for the first half of 2024 has increased significantly.
It currently sits at 180.7hp, compared with 173.5hp in 2023. This is the second successive notable increase in average power, as the 2022 figure from January to June was 166.2hp.
Every part of the UK saw a decline in tractor registrations, with the largest drops being reported in the south of England. The South West saw 29% fewer machines registered, while the home counties saw a decline of 43%.
The South West figure is notable as it represents a drop of nearly 300 tractors, but the home counties only makes up a small proportion of the overall registrations, with the 29% drop representing a decrease of 378 to 216 machines.
In contrast, Scotland and Northern Ireland saw drops of just 2%, while the rest of the UK saw smaller declines.