Despite a 20% drop in July registrations, new tractor sales in 2026 are up 5% year on year, according to the latest FTMTA Statistics Service report. The July 2026 new tractor market recorded 283 units, which was down 20% compared with the same month in 2025. In spite of the July drop, the year-to-date figure is at 1,770 new tractors, which is a 5% increase over the same seven-month period in 2025. Counties Cork, Wexford and Tipperary delivered the highest number of new tractor registrations for July.

The most popular power band for July 2026 was the 121hp to 140hp category, which accounted for 25% of all new tractor registrations. The monthly average tractor horsepower figure for July was 145hp and the largest tractor registered was rated at 335hp.

The FTMTA data shows that 263 imported used tractors were first-time registered in Ireland in July, just 18 units lower than in July 2025. There were 1,729 used tractors first-time registered in Ireland for the year to the end of July.

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Northern Ireland

New tractor registrations in Northern Ireland for the year-to-date have already exceeded all new registrations in 2025. In July 2026, 58 units were registered, up 107% on July 2025. For the year-to-date, 501 units have been registered, up 61% on the same period as last year and also, in fact, up 3% on all of 2025 registrations. Looking further afield to the UK as a whole, AEA figures show that, as has been the case all year, the number of tractors registered in the UK in July was higher than during the same month last year.

The rate of increase was the lowest so far in 2026, though, with 6% more tractors licensed than in July 2025, bringing the monthly total to 934 machines. That level was around 6% below the average for the time of year during the previous five years, in line with the shortfall recorded in the first half of the year. Registrations for the year-to-date were still running around 20% higher than in the opening seven months of 2025 and were also higher than in January to July 2024.

Telescopic loaders

The market for new telescopic loaders reported a 10% decrease in July 2026 at 98 units compared with July 2025. The two leading brands for the year to date, JCB and Manitou accounted for 70% of the total year to date market, with Weidemann marginally ahead of Kramer in third place. There were 48 imported used telescopic loaders registered in July 2026, a reduction from the 57 units registered in July 2025.

The Irish wheel loader market recorded a 61% increase in new registrations in July 2026 at 26 units. The Chinese manufactured machines at the lower price end of the market accounted for 50% of the new wheel loader registrations. There were seven imported used wheeled loaders registered in June 2026.