Tractor market struggles as farmer confidence slips further
Australian tractor sales remained firmly in the red in April, with worsening sentiment and mounting on-farm pressures pointing to further softness aheadNew tractor sales continued their difficult run in April 2026, with around 700 units sold during the month — 10 per cent below the same period last year, according to the Tractor and Machinery Association of Australia's (TMA) latest sales figures.
The year-to-date figure has now slipped to 8.5 per cent behind 2025 levels, as farmer confidence deteriorates further in the wake of the conflict in Iran and growing reports of fuel and fertiliser shortages forcing some producers to scale back plantings.
Horsepower breakdown: small tractors dip further
Declines were recorded across all four reporting categories, with no horsepower segment spared:
HP Category | Month | YTD |
Under 40hp | -8.2% | -20.8% |
40–100hp | -13.6% | -7.1% |
100–200hp | -3.3% | -6.0% |
200hp+ | -13.2% | +2.6% |
The 40–100hp segment took the sharpest monthly hit at -13.6 per cent, while the under-40hp category remains the worst performer year-to-date at -20.8 per cent.
The 200hp-plus segment continues to hold up on a year-to-date basis with a slim +2.6 per cent gain, though it too fell sharply in April.
State by state: a tale of two markets
The geographic split remained stark, with the smaller states again carrying the positive news:
State | Month | YTD |
QLD | -13.0% | -6.3% |
NSW | -21.8% | -18.2% |
VIC | +23.4% | -5.8% |
TAS | +50.0% | +25.0% |
SA | -8.0% | +2.4% |
NT | +62.5% | +58.1% |
WA | -33.0% | -15.1% |
WA was the worst performer for the month, down a significant 33 per cent, with NSW not far behind at -21.8 per cent.
Victoria was a notable bright spot, jumping 23.4 per cent for the month, while Tasmania and the NT continued their strong runs. With dry conditions now being reported in parts of NSW, the weakness in that state looks set to deepen further.
"There has been considerable reporting in the mainstream media around fuel and fertiliser shortages leading to farmers reducing plantings and with some struggling to operate," TMA said in a statement.
"Our own surveys reinforce this and, not surprisingly, demand for new machinery is likely to remain subdued for some time to come. With reports of dry conditions in parts of NSW coming through, this weakness will only become more acute."
Balers on the up
Baler sales continue their strong run, rising 17 per cent compared to April last year and are now 20 per cent ahead year-to-date — providing a rare bright spot in an otherwise subdued market.
Out-front mower sales edged down just three per cent, a relatively resilient result. Self-propelled sprayer sales were down 33 per cent year-on-year, and combine harvester activity was again minimal for the month.
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