AGFACTS Newsbrief Summary - May 2011

·         The four-quarter moving total of South African agricultural machinery sales (2011Q1) is currently R4.50 billion, 4.0% down on the figure of R4.69 billion a year ago.

·         The third production estimate for commercial maize for the 2010/2011 season is 10.883 million tons.   This is 15.1% less than in the 2009/2010 production season.

·         The overall trend in the year-on-year price increases (smoothed) of agricultural machinery is marginally down on the previous month.   The current overall year-on-year reduction in prices (smoothed) is 4.4%.

·         Year-to-date tractor sales are currently 17.1% up on those for the same period last year.

·         The AGFACTS Tractor Sales Index is currently 1.07.   The short-term trend in tractor sales is steadily upwards.