August 2023: TRACTOR and COMBINE HARVESTER SALES
Retail sales of agricultural equipment during August 2023 were as follows:
| Month: August | Percentage Change: | Year-to-date: August | Percentage Change: | |||
| 2023 | 2022 | 2023 | 2022 | |||
| Tractors | 697 | 791 | -11.9 | 5 412 | 5 698 | -5.0 |
| Combine Harvesters | 24 | 24 | 0.0 | 383 | 273 | 40.3 |
August 2023: TRACTOR and COMBINE HARVESTER SALES
Retail sales of agricultural equipment during August 2023 were as follows:
August tractor sales of 697 units were approximately 12% less than the 791 units sold in August last year. On a year-to-date basis, tractor sales are now 5% down from last year. Twenty-four combine harvesters were sold in August, the same as in August last year. On a year-to-date basis, combined harvester sales are now 40% higher than last year.
Sentiment in the market is still positive. However, many farmers are now showing caution with regard to the forthcoming summer crop prospects. This is in connection with the El Niño phenomenon, load-shedding, and the need for alternative power supplies, fuel, and commodity prices. It is likely, therefore, that lower agricultural machinery sales will prevail until the course of the forthcoming summer rainfall season is known.
Nevertheless, forecasts for tractor sales for the 2023 calendar year are still that they will be between 10 and 15% down on last year. Combine harvester sales are still buoyant, and it is likely that sales for the 2023 calendar year will be between 10 and 20% up on last year.
Tallie Giessing
Chairman: South African Agricultural Machinery Association
Contact: Tallie Giessing (082) 874-0449 or Dr. Jim Rankin (011) 453-7249