Tractor sales edged down by two units to 398 in April from a year ago after surging 18.7% to 515 units in March. For all of 2016 sales fell 11.3% to 5,855 units, according to the South African Agricultural Machinery Association (Saama). The weaker rand and the ratings downgrades appear to have had little effect on agricultural machinery sales. April combine harvester sales of 30 units were up 42.9% with sales in the first four months 19.2% higher than a year ago. In its third estimate in late April, the crop estimates committee said the 2017 maize crop would rise by 87% compared with 2016. The crop is now expected to be larger than that of 2014, but still below that of 1981, when the area planted to maize was 65% larger.
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