Dealers specializing in selling compact tractors (under 40 horsepower) had another banner year in 2017 as U.S. and Canadian sales of the small equipment reached all-time highs.
According to the latest figures from the Assn. of Equipment Manufacturers, 2017 unit sales of compact tractors were 158,237, up 9% from 2016, when U.S. and Canadian dealers sold 145,061 units, which was the previous record. Up until that time, the all-time high came in 2004 when dealers retailed just under 140,000 units.
Sales of under 40 horsepower tractors had sunk as low as 90,000 units in 2009 and didn’t surpass the 100,000 mark again until 2012. Since then, annual sales have risen steadily and many industry experts believe they could surpass the 160,000 unit mark in the next year or two.
Compared to 2009’s low water mark, 2017 sales were up by 77%
