John Deere continues to be the most popular tractor brand in the UK by some distance, according to the latest sales figures provided by the AEA.

The EU’s competition rules mean the figures can only be made public 12 months after they are collated, so the tractor sales figures we are able to publish refer to 2015.

The overall market dropped markedly in 2015 to 12,112 machines, which was down from 13,526 a year earlier and 13,490 in 2013.

Of the total figure, Deere claimed 30.2% of the sales with 3,655 machines. This is a fall in sales but a small increase in market share.

Read the rest of the report below.

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Second-placed New Holland lost 0.9% of its share compared with the 2014 stats, with sales totalling 2,264 – down from 2,645.

Massey Ferguson in third also saw a drop – its 1,354 registrations and 11.2% share was well below its 2014 figures of 1,669 tractors and 12.3%.

Elsewhere, Case IH’s sales dropped by 232 units to 1,019 and 8.4%, while the big mover was Kubota. The Japanese firm roared into fifth position with 810 units and a 6.7% share, compared with its 636 units and 4.7% of 2014.

The change pushed Fendt down a notch – its 5.7% share accounted for 696 machines; in 2014 it sold 820 tractors. It finished just ahead of Claas’ 4.8% and 583 units – another significant drop from the 769 units and 5.7% share of 2014.

Elsewhere, Deutz increased its share by 0.1% to 2.3% and 284 machines, ahead of McCormick, which dropped from 288 units and 2.1% to 184 units and 1.5%.

JCB saw a 30-unit improvement to 156 machines and 1.3% share, ahead of Zetor with 1.1% and 128 tractors, and Landini with 0.9% and 105 machines.

2016 tractor registrations 

The total tractor power sold in 2016 was 1.68 million hp – a decrease of 1.4% against 2015, although the average output of each machine continued its steady rise, by 0.8% to 158.3hp. Total sales across last year came to 10,602 – a 1,510 unit drop on the figures from 2015.

Most horsepower bands saw decreases in the number of units registered in the calendar year, the major exception being the 161-200 grouping (+36%); the 241+ grouping also saw a marginal improvement. Of all new agricultural tractors registered in 2016, nearly 20% were in excess of 200hp.