Combines Are Bright Spot in Down Market

Combine Sales Rise in June, While Most Tractor Segments Fall

Dan Miller
By  Dan Miller , Progressive Farmer Senior Editor
Combine sales were a bright spot for equipment sales in June. Self-propelled combines sales were up 25.3% compared to June 2021. (Photo courtesy of AGCO Corp.)

Sales of U.S. tractors and combines were mixed in June, according to the latest market analysis released by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM). Sales of combines were up for June compared to combines sales in June 2021. Sales of most types of tractors were down, except for 100-plus-horsepower tractors. That segment has been selling above year-ago monthly results for much of this year.

According to AEM's tracking data, total U.S. farm tractor sales fell overall by 8.2% in June compared to June 2021. Sales of less-than-40-horsepower tractors fell 10.2% compared to June of last year. Tractors 40 to 100 horsepower declined 7.2% and four-wheel-drive farm tractors declined 3% compared to June 2021. For the year, January through June, all tractor sales also are down -- 15.8% for less than 40 horsepower, 12.2% for 40-100 horsepower and 11.1% for four-wheel-drive farm tractors.

However, one type of tractor is doing well. Among the four tractor segments tracked by AEM, two-wheel-drive, 100-plus-horsepower units have been the good news story for manufacturers in 2022. Sales in June compared to June 2021 were up 9.6% and are up overall by 10.3% for the year.

Sales of combines were another bright spot for the month of June compared to sales one year earlier. Self-propelled combine sales were up 25.3% in June compared to June 2021. That's an increase of 127 units. Year-to-date sales are the reverse, however. For the months January through June 2022, combine sales are down 5.5% or 125 units.

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In Canada, overall unit sales in tractors were down 5%, despite two-wheel-drive units in the 40-100 horsepower segment and four-wheel-drive tractors growing 1.8% and 46.4%, respectively. Total two-wheel-drive unit sales were down 5.9%, led by 100-plus-horsepower units falling 11.1%. However, combine unit sales also rose in Canada, up 35.1% to 154 units sold.

For the year 2022, farm tractor unit sales are down 7.9% in Canada, while harvesters are down 15.5%.

"We're glad to see the growth in combine harvesters this month," said Curt Blades, senior vice president, industry sectors and product leadership at the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. "That helped put both countries at or above their five-year average for the month of June in overall unit sales, despite ongoing supply chain challenges holding ag tractors back."

The U.S. and Canadian reports can be found here:

-- U.S.: https://www.aem.org/…

-- Canada: https://www.aem.org/…

Dan Miller can be reached at dan.miller@dtn.com

Follow him on Twitter @DMillerPF

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Dan Miller