Four-wheel drive tractor sales show growth in August

Tractors in the 100+ hp 2WD and 4WD segments were the only segments to show year-over-year growth in August, along with a continued positive trend in combine sales for the year, according to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM).

“North American row-crop farmers continue to add and adopt new technology to their equipment fleets to help reduce costs and improve yields,” says Curt Blades, senior vice president, industry sectors and product leadership at AEM. “The appeal of the newer equipment centers on improved fuel efficiency, better GPS technology, and improved automation features, which is why farmers are continuing to make these investments.”

Tractor sales

Total farm tractor sales for August 2023 were 20,917, down 4.6% from last year with 21,936 sold in 2022. Year to date, AEM reports 172,301 total farm tractors were sold as of August this year, down 8.6% from 188,552 this time last year. 

Tractor sales are broken down by horsepower range as follows:

Sales for 2WD sub-40 hp tractors in August 2023 were down 7% from 2022, with 12,864 sales this year, and 13,834 last year. Year to date, AEM reports 112,468 tractors have been sold in this category, down 11.6% from 127,214 at the same time last year. 

Sales for 2WD 40-100 hp tractors in August were down 4.3%, with 5,608 sales this year, and 5,861 last year. Year to date, AEM reports 40,367 tractors have been sold in this category, down 7.7% from 43,716 at the same time last year. 

Sales for 2WD 100+ hp tractors in August were up 7.5%, with 2,133 sales this year, compared to 1,984 last year. Year to date, AEM reports 16,930 tractors have been sold in this category, up 7.6% from 15,731 at the same time last year. 

Sales for 4WD tractors were up 21.4% in August, with 312 sales this year, and 257 last year. Year to date, AEM reports 2,536 tractors have been sold in this category, up 34.1% from 1,891 at the same time last year. 

Combine Sales

Sales for self-propelled combines were up again in August, down 2.4% with 771 sales this year compared to 790 last year. Year to date, AEM reports 4,799 combines have been sold as of August, up 31.8% from 3,642 at the same time last year.