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The stagnated tractor market of the last 18 months is showing signs of recovery.
As we move into the 2025/26 growing season, the Tractor and Machinery Association (TAMA) reports that the third quarter results for the year to date is showing that the stagnated tractor market of the last 18 months is showing signs of recovery.
Year to date sales to September 30 reached total sales of 2153 tractors, a rise of 9% over last year’s 1975 units. Split between 1385 tractors in the North Island and 768 in the South, the former grew by 9.7%, while the “mainland” was slightly softer at 7.7%.
Different regions were showing different trends, with the Waikato region growing by 31.5%. In contrast, Hawke’s Bay showed a decline of 30%.
In the South Island, Marlborough and Mid-Canterbury both climbed by 33%, with the Southland tractor powerhouse only growing its market by 2.5%.
Tractors sold over a wide range of horsepower, from 20 to over 375hp, with a wide range of variation.
While the 70-80hp category recorded a YTD drop of 48%, the 100-120hp group climbed 14%, 120 to 140hp rose by 29% and the 180 to 250hp sector gained 23%.
Meanwhile, at the higher end, over 375hp tractors fell by 37%.
TAMA president Jaiden Drought commented, “with YTD numbers showing steady growth and the month of September showing a pleasing 18.4% gain, our recent dealer sentiment survey saw over 75% of farm machinery dealers expecting a significant lift in tractor and machinery sales over the next six months.”
The market is in decline in the United States, Canada and Brazil. In Europe, sales are falling in Germany, France and Spain. Turkey is experiencing a sharp decline, whilst the economic strategies and policies implemented by India and China are driving purchases in both countries.
As we move into the second half of 2026, the Tractor and Machinery Association (TAMA) reports that Year-to-Date figures ending June 30 saw new tractor deliveries hitting 1,386 units or 10.7% ahead of the same period in 2025.
The recently published State of the Industry -Tractors and Machinery 2025 from the Australian Tractor and Machinery Association (TMA), the equivalent of New Zealand’s TAMA, gives an interesting perspective of the industry.
For the first three months of 2026, new tractor deliveries saw an increase over the previous two months, resulting in year-to-date deliveries climbing to 649 units - around 5% ahead of the same period in 2025.
Coming in at a year-end total at 3088 units, a rise of around 10% over the 2806 total for 2024, the signs are that the New Zealand farm machinery industry is turning the corner after a difficult couple of years.
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