February tractor sales of 798 units were 20% more than the 665 units sold in February last year. Year-to-date tractor sales are now also 20% up on last year.

Nineteen combine harvesters were sold in February, five units more than the 14 units sold in February last year. On a year-to-date basis combine harvester sales are now 21% up on last year.

The first production forecast of the current maize crop by the Crop Estimates Committee is 14,5 million tonnes. Although this is approximately 10% less than last season, it is still in line with the current five-year average maize crop of 14,4 million tonnes. Overall sentiment in the market is still positive. The current problem between Russia and the Ukraine is clearly going to have far-reaching influences on several facets of the South African agricultural and agricultural machinery industries. However, it will be some time before we will be able to evaluate these effects.

Industry forecasts for the 2022 calendar year are that tractor sales will be similar to those in 2021, with combine harvester sales approximately 10% lower than last year.