According to figures released by the AEA the number of new agricultural tractors (over 50hp) registered for use on the road in February was 575.

This was 11% higher than in February 2019, the first year-on-year increase since September.

"Nevertheless," says Stephen Howarth, agricultural economist at the AEA, "the sharp fall recorded in January means that the total for the first two months of the year was the lowest since 2001."

At 1,052 machines, the figure for January and February was 13% lower than a year before.