Late surge in tractor sales after a year of uncertainty and difficulty for farmers
Tractor sales leapt 27.8% year on year in December to 349 units, but for the whole of 2016 sales fell 11.3% to 5,855 units, says the South African Agricultural Machinery Association (Saama). Tractor sales were hit in 2016 by uncertainty on crop yields and exchange rates, also land restitution, farm-worker shares in farms and whether the dry El Niño global cycle had yielded to a wet La Niña cycle. Saama said: "General summer rains have fallen over most of the country now. Most farmers, even in the west which was dry for a time, have completed their planting. Standing crops are looking good and market sentiment is positive. "What is required now is follow-up rains through to the end of February for the planted crops to realise their full yield potential." Industry expectations for 2017 are for tractor sales to at least match those of 2016. The US agriculture department estimated SA’s 2016-17 maize crop would be about 60% more than that of 2015-16 "as rainfall returned to a more normal...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.