This year’s Tullamore Show benefitted from the relatively good weather as visitors flocked to the show from all over Ireland with exhibitors reporting some customers turning up at eight in the morning.

All areas of the site were packed out for the day and the machinery section was no exception, with keen interest still being shown despite a feeling in the trade that business has been dropping away from its peak of last year.

Cost conscious

The price of machinery has increased dramatically over the past three years and despite the easing of steel prices and little evidence of rising labour costs, there is no manufacture talking of dropping them again.

Avenger tractors are being imported by Brogan Bros Machinery — Brogan Brothers Machinery is enjoying success with the Avenger brand of compact tractors

This might well account for those companies with smaller or budget-friendly tractors being particularly buoyed up by prospects as farmers look to invest in machinery that can be used for a large number of smaller tasks, while leaving the big jobs to contractors.

Several companies reported strong interest in smaller machines; Brogan Brothers Machinery, with its Avenger series of mini tractors was one such. From starting up around a year ago the firm now has over 30 units working on farms and allied industries.

Isodiametric Italian

Green Equipment Supplies (GES) of Co. Wexford also reported strong interest in its Carraro range of mini tractors which the company describes as being Isodiametric, that is, it has equal-sized drive wheels.

Carraro tractor at Tullamore show — With drive to four equal-sized wheels, the Carraro Tigre 3800 promises excellent traction for its size

They were originally designed for orchard and vineyard work, but may be equally useful where smaller tractors are required on stock farms, and at €17,000 +VAT for the Yanmar powered 26hp Tigre 3800, they are not overpriced.

The Carraro name is more usually associated with drive axles, and indeed the same group also produces vineyard tractors under the same name. However, the models being imported by GES are from the Antonio Carraro company which was formed in 1960, when Antonio split from his brother.

China comes calling at Tullamore Show

Lovol was another name at the Tullamore Show around which there hangs a little confusion. Although the Chinese brand had already been introduced into Ireland several years ago, it had disappeared during the Covid-19 pandemic.

40hp, including loader, at €23,459 +VAT, is an attractive proposition for those working with a tight budget

It is now back and gunning for a slice of the Irish market with what looks to be well-equipped tractors sporting such fixtures as sprung mudguards, air-conditioned cabs and, depending on model, Doosan engines.

Price is the obvious selling point. The M4110, which was attracting a great deal of interest, sells for €56,995 excluding VAT. This works out at €518/hp, a little over half the accepted figure of €1,000/hp for more mainstream makes.

US drives compact market

Bobcat has also entered the compact tractor market and had a CT2535 on display. Although a retail price was not displayed, the unit was being advertised at €120/week over a five-year agreement.

Bobcat tractor at Tullamore show — Bobcat has recently entered the compact tractor market and its machines are now beginning to appear in Ireland

This would work out nearer the €1,000/hp rule of thumb, but it does come with the reassurance of the Bobcat brand and service network behind it.

Why it might seem odd that the company would enter the crowded arena of European market it must be remembered that mini compacts make up the vast majority of US sales.

Sales incentives

Higher prices will obviously depress sales, yet there is little chance that retail prices will drop directly for a whole host of marketing reasons.

What is likely to happen is that we will see a growing number of incentives to get deals over the line, including manufacturers giving a little extra ‘help’ to dealers when a sale is at stake, and 0% finance.

New Holland offer 0% finance at Tullamore Show — New Holland is currently promoting 0% finance on its tractors and implements, and a much reduced rate on its telescopic handlers

New Holland and Kubota have gone for the latter and in a world where normal intertest rates on leasing may be around 7-8%, it is an attractive option.

It does, though, bring its own problems for the dealers, chief of which is that they find themselves trying to sell good used stock, which attracts the present finance rate, against brand new machines upon which there is no interest being charged.

Dealer support for Tullamore Show

One great advantage of the Tullamore Show is that all these newcomers are available for viewing alongside most of the established brands.

John Deere tractors lined up for display — John Deere tractors had a strong representation thanks to the efforts of TFM

Besides New Holland, farmers looking to invest in a new tractor were able to look at the latest offerings from Massey Ferguson, Valtra, Fendt and John Deere, thanks to the local dealers putting in an appearance.

Away from the tractors, Abbey Machinery was indicating that it was working on near infrared (NIR) technology for both slurry application and feed mixers with news on the latter coming in time for the Ploughing Match.

Near Infra Red technology by Abbey Machinery — Near infrared technology is being developed by Abbey Machinery to help improve use of feed and of slurry

Assessing feed value in real time, rather than making assumptions based on tables and historical data, should allow farmers to make more efficient use of the feeds available and do away with much of the vagueness still associated with precise feed rationing.

Just the one Jimny

Local car dealer, Hugo Loonam of Clogan, holds the franchise for Citroen, Peugeot and Suzuki, cars. Amid the display of saloon cars was a single Suzuki Jimny off roader, a model which is something of a legend in its own lifetime having earned a lot of respect over the 50 years of its production.

Suzuki Jimney four wheel drive at Tullamore show — Suzuki limits the sales of the capable and popular Jimny off roader for reasons best known to itself

They carry a not unreasonable price tag of €26,500 and are in strong demand with every one disappearing off the forecourt as soon as it arrives.

Yet Suzuki limits production and only allocate a handful to each dealer per year, a rather novel approach to satisfying consumer demand. It is likely that the misguided enthusiasm for replacing the internal combustion engine has something to do with this denial of choice.

We can only hope that sense prevails and farmers can once again purchase what is best for their business.

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