Number of new tractor registrations the lowest in 24 years

March is usually the peak month for registrations of new agricultural tractors in the UK, said the Agricultural Engineers Association.

Last month, 1,466 machines have been logged, the most in any month since the same time last year.

However, that total was down by nearly a quarter (-24.4%), compared with March 2024. This marks the lowest figure for the time of year since 2016.

The total number of tractors registered in the first quarter of 2025 was the lowest since 2001, reaching 2,228, 23% lower than in January to March 2024.

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Farmers confidence at all-time lowest

Farm business confidence has deteriorated yet again, bypassing last year’s record lows to mark the lowest levels since the NFU’s Farmer Confidence Survey began 15 years ago.

The news came just after Defra delivered another hammer blow to farmers through the precipitous closure of SFI applications.

According to NFU’s Farmer Confidence Survey, 85% of landowners believe the reforms to APR and BPR will increase their IHT liability.

Of these, 32% say they plan to reduce investment to mitigate this increase – this figure increases to 42% for mixed arable and livestock businesses, and 49% for arable farms.

88% of respondents said the phasing out of direct payments would negatively impact their business.

76% of employers expect to be impacted by the increase in employers’ National Insurance contributions. Because of this increase, 65% said they expect a reduction in profits, and 43% expect to reduce investment to offset these additional costs.

NFU president Tom Bradshaw said: “When our Confidence Survey results came out last year, we thought we’d hit rock bottom.

“Now, with another hammer blow dealt to the farming sector without warning last night, I’m realising there is no such thing as rock bottom as far as Defra is concerned. Where is the transparency? Where is the accountability?

“Last year, this government promised us they wouldn’t introduce a tax on family farms upon death, but they did, leaving many farming families without hope for the future. And now they are taking away direct payments – faster than they originally promised – leaving farmers with no alternative scheme to plug the financial hole they find themselves with.”

Mr Bradshaw added that no business can be expected to plan, invest, grow and increase its economic contribution, while hitting government environmental targets, when it is being “slammed time and time again” by policies which strip away its profitability.

“Business confidence was already low. Now we are in a situation where the farming community has no confidence in the government,” the NFU president concluded.

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