The AEA say registrations of agricultural tractors in June were 1.4% up on the equivalent month a year ago at 1,144 units.

This left the half year total at 6,942 units, an increase of 4.0%.

The average size of unit sold in the first 6 months was 151.6hp which is a 2.6% increase on a year earlier.

Chris Evans, AEA Economist said, "The expectation of the industry appears to be for a flat second half of the year. The underlying farming conditions are rather mixed and uncertain.

"For the crucial arable sector, crop prices have been sliding away and are now near the cost of production for many but the present outlook is for an increase in yields, and certainly in overall volume for wheat, which may go some way to offset lower prices. The dairy sector is also seeing milk price reductions but until now these have been compensated by lower feed and fertiliser crops. The beef sector has seen an alarming slide in prices.

"Added to this farmers have to take into account new responsibilities associated with the greening element of the CAP reforms. All this suggests there is little clear direction in the market as yet."