According to data just released by the AEA, having nudged above last year’s level in September, the number of agricultural tractors registered in the UK in October was once again lower than in the same month of 2024.

At 746 machines, the shortfall was only 9%, though, less than over the year to date. That figure is still 10% below the five-year average for October but that is the closest that registrations have come to the seasonal mean so far in 2025.

Agricultural economist at the Association, Stephen Howarth, explained, "It looks increasingly likely that this year’s registrations will be the lowest in the AEA’s records, which date back to the 1960s. A combination of weather challenges, low grain prices and political and economic uncertainty have led to a lack of confidence in the UK’s agricultural sector, which has affected farmers’ willingness to invest in machinery."