Sales of new agricultural machinery during 2018, in Spain

As usual every year, we show the data of the sale of new machinery in Spain during 2018 and which in turn is published by the Ministry of Agriculture (you have the monthly information here). It is a summary of most interesting data in our opinion.

The number of new tractors sold has fallen with respect to year 2017 in which there were sales of 12,476 to 11,381 units this year, changing the trend that had been bullish between 2012 and 2017. This figure remains around the 10,000 new tractors sold annually which is usually the benchmark number for many manufacturers, so it is within the expected pattern and can therefore be said to be a normal year as far as new tractor sales are concerned.

New tractor sales by brand continue to be led by John Deere (2,866 units in 2018, 2,749 units in 2017, 2,688 units in 2016, 2,661 units in 2015 and 2,590 units in 2014) and New Holland (2,059 units, 2,160 units in 2017, 2,067 units in 2016, 1,933 units in 2015 and 1,935 units in 2014). However, it is in sales by commercial group where CNH has the leadership (2955 units, 3,002 units in 2017, 2,882 units in 2016, 2,719 units in 2015 and 2,699 units in 2014). We must highlight the incorporation of Arbos brand, which in the last months of 2018 has sold 35 tractors. Next you can see in the graph the sales by brand:

Another interesting fact is that Fendt continues to lead the market for another year with 176.3 hp/tractor in 2018 with respect 165.1 hp/tractor in 2017. You have more information in the following tables

The best-selling tractor was theJohn Deere 6115MC. It is the best-selling tractor one more year again. In this way, the ranking of best-selling tractor models would be below:

• 1st position: John Deere 6115 MC (297 units).
• 2nd position: John Deere 6130 M ( 217   units).
• 3rd position: New Holland T4.100 (199 units).
• 4th position:  New Holland T4.110 (198 units).

Regarding new farming machinery sales in 2018, we would like to show a chart where you can see monthly sales. You have data about tractors, trailers, tillage machinery, seed drills, mowers or harvesting machinery, etc…. We would like to mention that a total amount of  41.249  new machines were sold in 2018 (37,667 units in 2017 y 33,950 units in 2016). More data to highlight about new farming machinery sales are the following ones:

• New trailers sales:  5,961 units in 2018 , 4,790 units in 2017, 5,061 units in 2016, 5,147 units in 2015, 5,251 units in 2014 and 5,570 units in 2013.
• Regarding trailed or mounted machinery:
• Soil tillage machinery:  3,850 units en 2018, 2,677 units in 2017, 2,151 units in 2016, 2,673 units in 2015 and 2,378 in 2014.
• Seed drills machinery:  936 units in 2018, 823 units in 2017, 622 units in 2016, 783 units in 2015 and 692 in 2014.
• Crop protection machinery:  8,571 units in 2018, 9,073 units in 2017, 8,094 units in 2016, 5,752 units in 2015 and 4,754 units in 2014.
• Spreaders and felitizing machinery:  3,471 units in 2018, 2,238 units in 2017, 2,001 units in 2016, 2.115 units in 2015 and 2,189 units in 2014.
• Harvesters’ machinery:  2,706 units in 2018, 1,968 units in 2017, 1,750 units in 2016, 1,989 units in 2015 and 1,939 units in 2014.

On the other hand, we have to give special mention to the new combine harvesters sold in Spain which in 2018 was 285 units compared to 304 units in 2017, 2016, 310 units in 2015 and 360 units in 2014, being the leader of new Claas with 96 units. This sector is completely monopolized by Claas (96 units), New Holland (83 units) and John Deere (63 units). The rest of the manufacturers are a long way away, with Deutz-Fahr standing out with 22 units and Fendt with 14 units.

We would like to talk about the sales of self-propelled grape harvesters, which this year are up on previous years as 100 new units have been sold (80 units in 2017, 96 in 2016, 67 units in 2015 and 94 units in 2014). It once again leads the New Holland market with 71% of sales. 

Finally, we show you a few pictures of our friend Pedro Rubio, who with the purchase of his Valtra A114 contributed to increasing annual sales of new tractors in 2018. A few weeks ago we saw the tractor and it gave us very good feeling.

Versión en español.

Good olive year

This year's olive harvest was supposed to be record-breaking, but it remained simply in a good year. After such a catastrophic previous year (2017), this year looked very good and finally it was. The result of our 132 olive trees in production was 5,000kg (38kg/olive) with an average fatty performance of 17.1%. The performance has been quite low because our yield is usually over 21%, so this year we have not met expectations. We found another problem in the mill because the performance meter was new... so we don't want to rely on the meter badly calibrated that day, because even a friend got 14.9% with the variety Cornicabra olive, which seems almost impossible. The year has not been a record-breaking year because with regard to the quantity of olive trees, we have a mark in 6,000kg and with regard to the fatty performance it is 23.4%.

The two harvesting days were full of fun. The weather was sunny and there was no wind which is always a problem to work with canvas and also this year we had help. We hired a crew of four workers who helped us. The price was about 0.20€/kg of olive harvested. As you can see in the pictures, there were two people with two Sthil olive harvesters (a hook SP 451 olive harvester and a comb SP 90 olive harvester) and two others changing the canvases (working three rows of olives at the same time). One of us was in charge of removing the branches before downloading the olives in the frontloader of the tractor and another one of us was in charge of being with the tractor to put the olives into the trailer... A perfect teamwork!

Now it is time to do the post-harvest treatments and wait to rain so that the olive trees can have the reserves full again before the pruning that will be in March.

Versión en español.