Tractor sales slide continues into March

Australian tractor sales remained under pressure in March 2026, with around 900 units sold during the month — a 10 per cent drop compared to the same time last year, according to the Tractor and Machinery Association of Australia's (TMA) latest report.

Year-to-date figures now sit eight per cent behind 2025 levels, painting a challenging picture for the sector as multiple headwinds converge.

The decline was felt across all horsepower categories, with no segment escaping the softness:

The sub-40hp segment was the hardest hit, down 16.7 per cent for the month and a steep 24.2 per cent year-to-date.

The 200hp-plus category was the lone bright spot on a year-to-date basis, managing a 9.2 per cent gain despite falling 9.7 per cent in March.

The geographic picture was similarly mixed, with the smaller states providing almost all of the positive news:

NSW and WA were among the weakest performers, down 24.7 per cent and 20.8 per cent respectively for the month, while Victoria also recorded a significant fall of 13.9 per cent.

Tasmania, the Northern Territory and South Australia were the standouts, with the NT’s year-to-date figure of +56.5 per cent a great result against an otherwise bleak national backdrop.

According to the TMA, the past 12 months have brought a series of compounding challenges — drought conditions in southern Australia, rising manufacturing costs flowing through from global supply chains, and the emerging impact of trade tariffs.

"The fragile confidence of farmers is currently taking a beating as a result of the war in Iran with a return to stable conditions, some way off," the organisation said in a statement.

The global picture offers little comfort either, with tractor sales struggling in markets around the world.

Not all segments of the market are suffering equally, however. Baler sales delivered a bright spot, rising 11 per cent in March and now sitting 22 per cent ahead year-to-date.

Out-front mower sales were also a standout, jumping 29 per cent compared to March last year. On the other side of the ledger, self-propelled sprayer sales fell 29 per cent year-on-year, and combine harvester activity was minimal for the month.