4WD tractor sales were down in Canada and the U.S.
By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com
The Association of Equipment Manufacturers released its Canadian and American combine and tractor reports for December 2016, and machinery sales appeared to be down in some categories.
According to the U.S. report, 7,909 2WD tractors under 40HP were sold in December 2015. That number jumped to 9,350 in December 2016, representing an increase of 18.2 per cent.
But 2WD tractors with 100HP or more saw a significant decline.
According to the AEM’s report, 2,191 tractors were sold in December 2015 and only 1,761 were sold in December 2016 – which is a sharp decrease of about 19.3 per cent.
The report’s largest statistic comes from 4WD tractors.
AEM reports that 410 tractors in the 4WD category were sold in December 2015 and only 241 were sold this past December. The number represents a drop of about 41.2 per cent.
American combine sales were also down between December 2015 and 2016.
According to AEM, 686 combines sold in 2015 compares to only 487 in 2016 – a 29.0 per cent decrease.
However, the report suggests that total farm tractor sales between December 2015 and 2016 were up by 5.5 per cent.
When looking at the Canadian report, tractor and combine sales were down almost entirely.
AEM’s publication said 2WD tractors in the 40 to 100HP range dropped by 14.3 per cent. (673 tractors sold in December 2015, compared to 577 in December 2016).
The largest drop in the Canadian numbers came with 2WD tractors with more than 100HP.
In December 2015, 386 tractors sold – compared to 310 this past December. Those numbers represent a 19.7 per cent decrease.
4WD tractor sales fell by 17.9 per cent during the same time period, but combine sales were up by 1.5 per cent.