Some good news has emerged at last for the beleaguered machinery industry, with the FTMTA recording a 55% increase in tractor sales for May 2025 over May of last year

The total number of new units sold this May 2025 was 249 units, while the year-to-date 2025 new tractor registration moving total figure stands at 1,274 units. This is a 4% increase on the 1,230 registered in the first five months of 2024.

These figures confirm that the gentle wave of optimism being felt in the trade earlier has born fruit, bringing many a sigh of relief up and down the country.

Once again, the most popular power band is the 161hp-200hp category, which for May 2025 accounted for 26.9% of all new tractor registrations.

The monthly average tractor horsepower figure for May 2025 was 152hp, which is a marginal drop from 153hp in May 2025.

The largest tractor registered was rated at 370hp.

The figures show that 275 imported used tractors were registered in Ireland for the first time in May 2025, 73 more units than in May 2024.

The year-to-date used tractor registration figure of 1,259 units was 22 units more than was registered for the first five months of 2024.

The Irish market for new telescopic loaders did not fare so well, with a 2% decline in May 2025 at 38 units, compared with May 2024.

Overall however, new telescopic registrations for the year-to-date increased by 13.2% to 419 units, compared with the same five months of 2024 when 370 units were registered.

The two leading brands, Manitou and JCB, accounted for 75% of the total market - a battle that has intensified now that JCB has appointed extra dealers in Ireland.

There were 42 imported used telescopic loaders registered in May 2025, up 37 year-on-year.

The wheeled loader market is not a major one in Ireland, so the drop of just three units to 16 for May registered a decrease of 18%. Three brands - JCB, Komatsu and Volvo - have accounted for 46% of all new wheeled loader registrations so far in 2025.

Wheeled loaders followed the rising trend of tractors with a significant increase in imports of registered in May 2025, eight being registered compared with one in May 2024.

For the period from January to May 2025, there were 27 new backhoe loaders registered in Ireland compared with 32 in the first five months of 2024.