Some 3047 UK tractor registrations – 7% fewer than in 2021 – were made in the first three months of 2022 according to a new report from the Agricultural Engineers Association.

In terms of the power of machines, there was solid growth in the 51-80hp range, with registrations up by nearly half, compared with a year earlier. However, that range still accounted for just 6% of total registrations and numbers were down for most other power bands. Any increases in individual power ranges may be down to changes in specification, rather than underlying trends.

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The sharpest decline was in the 241-320hp range, where registrations were down by more than a third, compared with January to March 2021. It is believed this might be down to delivery delays rather than a shift in underlying demand.

At regional level, the most significant movements (other than a sharp rise in the Home Counties, which only accounts for a small number of registrations) were substantial declines in the number of tractors registered in the South East of England and East Anglia.

Both saw falls of between a quarter and a third, compared with the first quarter of 2021. Most other regions of England recorded smaller year-on-year changes, while Wales saw a 10% increase. Scottish and Northern Irish registrations declined, by 3% and 9%, respectively.