Harvester tops most viewed product list

According to in-house data, harvesters have emerged as the most searched product category on farmmachinerysales.com.au, signaling a spike in demand for new and used combines in preparation for a bumper season.

In the top 10 list of most looked-at items on the website, harvesters took out six of the spots spanning two main brands - John Deere and Case IH.

John Deere’s S series combines reigned supreme, with two models (S680 and S670) taking out the second and third most viewed items on the site.

The other remaining harvester models in the top 10 are Case IH’s 8240, 2388 and 8120, as well as John Deere’s 9870 STS.

The data mirrors the Tractor and Machinery Association of Australia’s (TMA) recent reports of a spike in combine harvester sales to levels not seen in a decade.

In the past five years, combine harvester sales have been average at best, with the drought and poor harvest leading to a slump in sales numbers.

However, in recent years, a combination of consecutive record harvests and government tax incentives such as the Temporary Full Expensing scheme have seen farmers scrambling to purchase equipment.

“The long-promised lift in combine harvester sales has now materialised with half the year’s supplies delivered in October, a mammoth effort despite the challenges associated with the well documented slowdowns at the various Australian ports,” said TMA executive director, Gary Northover.  

As of November 2021, combine harvester sales for the year has surpassed 1000 units, a number not seen since 2011.

“The industry continues to thrive in the face of a range of challenges not previously seen. Supply of product is now a worldwide problem and whilst 2021 has been outstanding, the forward outlook will be heavily impacted by dealer’s ability to get stock,” Northover said.