Combine harvester sales fall 31%

On a year-to-date basis‚ tractor sales are 4.6% down at 3‚867 units from 4‚053 units on those of the first six months of last year.

Combine harvester sales were down 31% to 29 units in June‚ from 42 units a year ago. In the year to date‚ however‚ combine harvester sales are up 12.8% to 246 units‚ from 218 units previously.

"Many farmers have already harvested good crops. It is mainly in the western maize production areas that crops have been adversely affected by drought.

"Recent agricultural machinery sales have been buoyed by buying ahead of the inevitable price increases which will need to be implemented as a result of the recent sharp drop in the value of the rand‚" the association said.

"Although demand is still good‚ predictions are that sales in the short term will slow down as newer‚ higher-priced stock makes its way into the market," it added.

Expectations now are that tractor sales in the current year will be in the order of 7‚000 to 7‚500 units‚ between 5% and 10% down on last year's sales.