The latest Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association (FTMTA) Statistics Service Report for February 2025 has outlined the current level of vehicle registration activity in the farm machinery sector in Ireland.

The report shows that the numbers of imported used tractors and machines, registered for the first time in Ireland, were down when compared with February 2024.

During February 2025, the new tractor market, which stood at 172 units, was 26% lower compared with the same month last year.

Mwanwhile, the year-to-date registration figure of 554 for the first two months of the year is 16% lower than the corresponding period in 2024.

The FTMTA noted that other European tractor markets are recording similar levels of decline.

The German market was 24% lower, and the UK market recorded a 37% decline in February compared with February 2024 and a year-to-date decline of 20%.

Cork is the county that continues to deliver the highest number of new tractor registrations, currently at 83 units for the year-to-date.

Co. Tipperary is ranked in second place with 61 units, followed by counties Galway and Meath at 35 units each.

The most popular horsepower (hp) band was the 160hp to 200hp category, which accounted for 28% of all new tractor registrations for the month.

Tractors in the power band lower than 100hp accounted for just 12% of all new tractor registrations, a higher percentage than for the same month in 2024.

The over 200hp category accounted for 11.6% of all new tractors.

The monthly average tractor horsepower figure for February 2025 dropped to 149hp and the largest tractor registered was rated at 370hp.

The FTMTA data shows that 213 imported used tractors were first-time registered in Ireland in February 2025, 12 units less than in February 2024, giving a lower year-to-date figure of 20 units.

The report also shows that the Irish market for new telescopic loaders grew in February 2025 at 102 units.

New telescopic registrations increased in February 2025 by 70% compared with January 2024 when 60 units were registered.

The two leading brands JCB and Manitou, account for 73% of the total market, while Kramer has grown to a 10% market share.

There were 53 imported used telescopic loaders registered in February 2025 down from 43 in February 2024.

The wheeled loader market recorded a lower number of new registrations in February 2025 at 21 units compared with February 2024 at 23 units, which was a market decrease of 9%.

The market dominance of the smaller Chinese manufactured machines at the lower price and power has dropped to 57% of the new wheeled loader registrations in Ireland.

There were just 13 imported used wheeled loaders registered in February 2025.

The backhoe loader market decreased in February 2025 compared with February 2024 with 8 new machines registered, which converts to a 27% decrease.

There were 8 used backhoe loaders registered in February 2025 in Ireland.

The FTMTA Statistics Service Reports are compiled from monthly raw data received from the Irish Revenue Commissioners, who are responsible for all first-time registrations of new and used vehicles in Ireland.