The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) has released its December ag tractor and combine sales report, and it’s showing an upward trend in the United States to end off the year.
December 2019 saw a return to positive overall results in U.S. sales of tractors and self-propelled combines. The total U.S. farm tractor sales for 2019 grew by 3.6 per cent, while combines dropped 0.7 per cent. Compared to December of 2018, tractor sales climbed 1.1 per cent, and combines fell by 12.3 per cent.
Overall, all sectors fell in Canada for 2019, led by a whopping 35.6 per cent drop in 4-wheel-drive tractors. By comparison, the U.S., although suffered a fair amount of declines themselves, saw a 27.8 per cent sales growth on 4-wheel drive tractors in 2019.
Total U.S. sales of 2-wheel-drive tractors were roughly flat in the month of December, rising 0.7 percent compared to December last year: under 40 HP 2-wheel-drive tractors grew 5.2 percent, and sales of 40-100 HP tractors fell 8.7 percent, while sales of 100-plus HP tractors led the segment with 6.4 percent growth.
“While growth hit a bump toward the end of the year, ag tractor and combine sales overall for 2019 ended relatively flat,” said Curt Blades, senior vice president of Ag Services at AEM. “On top of that, from survey data we gathered along with the Equipment Dealers Association, majorities of both manufacturers and dealers agree inventory levels are sitting about right at the moment, which should put our members and the overall ag sector in a positive place for the near future.”
Check out the full Canadian and U.S. reports. The full reports can be found in the Market Data section of the AEM website under Ag Tractor and Combine Reports.