Notices / Reports
November tractor sales slightly up on 2015 figures─── SABRINA DEAN 16:19 Mon, 12 Dec 2016
Pretoria - Tractor sales were marginally higher in November when compared to the same time last year, while combine harvester sales were up by 9% year-on-year.
This is according to a report released by Agbiz.
Economist Wandile Sihlobo says tractor sales for November totalled 453 units, up 0.2% on November 2015. However this figure was 20% lower that sales recorded for October this year.
Sihlobo says the sales figures are in line with seasonal trends as plantings are virtually over in most areas, particularly the eastern and central parts of South Africa.
He says tractor sales are not expected to show much movement until mid-2017 when winter cereals producers start planting.
Harvester sales, on the other hand, could increase over the coming months. Sihlobo writes indications are that farmers could plant 3.75 million hectares of summer crops this year, up by 15% year-on-year.
He says Agbiz views escalating farm debt and volatile Rand/Dollar fluctuations as key risks in the agricultural machinery market.
The full report can be downloaded here:
20161212 South Africa’s agricultural machinery sales see slight uptick.pdf
Source: Agbiz
