FIRST HALF OF YEAR TRACTOR NUMBERS UP ON LAST YEAR

The AEA has released agricultural tractor registration data for June, the final month of the first half of 2026, and say the numbers continued the trend seen earlier in the year, with figures higher than at the same time last year but below the seasonal average.

A total of 999 machines was logged during the month, 17% more than in June 2025 but 8% below the average for the time of year over the previous five years. That brought the total for the first half of 2026 to 5,955, which was up by nearly a quarter, compared with the equivalent period last year, and also higher than the total in the first half of 2024.

Agricultural economist at the Association, Stephen Howarth, said of the numbers, "While that represents a welcome recovery from the very low level of registrations recorded in 2025, it is still 5% below the recent average. Given that farmer confidence remains low and input costs have increased in recent months, the recovery remains fragile and gains could yet slow down in the second half of the year."