AEM Releases April 2020 Ag Equipment Sales Numbers

Unit sales of agricultural tractors and combines in April 2020 rose in the U.S., according to the latest data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. The April increase puts total unit sales year-to-date roughly flat with 2019. Curt Blades, senior vice president of Ag Services for AEM, says, “The COVID-19 crisis is certainly causing some uncertainty in farm income and ag equipment purchases for the balance of the year.” U.S. total farm tractor sales rose 12.3 percent in April compared to 2019 while U.S. April combine sales inched up 4.1 percent. Year-to-date sales of all farm tractor units are down 0.6 percent for 2020, and combine sales are down 10.1 percent in the same period. For Canada, April tractor sales fell across all segments except mid-range units, leading to an overall decline of tractor sales of 5.7 percent, with combine sales following along losing 29.9 percent. That puts overall farm tractors down 13.1 percent for 2020 year-to-date and combines down 34.6 percent in Canada.