Sales of agricultural tractors and self-propelled combines rose in the United States in May 2020, according to the latest data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers.

Smaller machine sales growth overpowered declines in other areas, the AEM reported.

U.S. total farm tractor sales rose 15.1% in May compared to 2019 while U.S. May self-propelled combine sales fell 2.9%. Heavy-duty (100+ hp, articulated 4WD) tractor sales declined in unit sales in the U.S. Total year-to-date sales of all farm tractors now show 4% growth for 2020, while combines remain down 9.5% over the same period.

May tractor sales fell across most segments in Canada, leading to an overall decline of tractor sales of 0.8%, with self-propelled combines falling 65% to only 41 units sold.  That puts overall farm tractor sales down 9.4% for 2020 year-to-date and combines down 41.1% in Canada.

“The growth we’re seeing in the sub-100 horsepower segments appears to be an unusual side-effect of COVID-19-related quarantines, as large home property owners and hobby farmers are spending more time at home, and with their equipment, and desiring an upgrade,” said Curt Blades, senior vice president of ag services at the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. “The larger machinery that remains in decline are row-crop tractors and harvesters that do the major work on commercial farming operations. This decline is clearly a reflection of uncertainty in the overall ag economy at this time.”

Related:Tractor Supply shares hit all-time high

Find the full reports:

U.S.:  https://www.aem.org/market-data/statistics/us-ag-tractor-and-combine-reports/

Canada:  https://www.aem.org/market-data/statistics/canadian-ag-tractor-combine-reports/ 

Source: AEM, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.