SFP money tagged for kit investment.

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Author: McCarron, Charlie

Uncertainty is bad for business and for the UK tractor market. Tractor registrations for 2005 fell by 11% on 2004, and while much of the blame for this is attributed to the uncertainty over the arrival of SFP cheques, the squeeze on farm incomes will also have been an influential factor.

According to a survey published in Farmers Weekly (10 March, Business, p34) investment in kit rides high on the list of priorities for farmers waiting on their SFP payments.

How much of this will be attributed to new tractor purchases remains to be seen, but manufacturers are doing their best to tempt farmers through dealership doors with some attractive financial offers.

If you are searching for a new tractor then look no further than our extensive buyers' guide on page 14.

The most comprehensive listings of tractors available on the UK market, the guide provides detailed information on power, transmission options and, most importantly, cost.

If not considering a new tractor, there are some sound second-hand deals to be had, even in the high-horsepower sector.

It is possible to secure a 200hp machine in good condition for well under the £20k mark and we've found three tidy examples for a lot less than you might imagine. See page 10 for more.

Continuing the low-cost theme, less well-known budget machines are becoming an increasingly attractive option and are likely to continue to remain so. Read about a Merseyside contractor running two Belarus tractors on page 4.

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By Charlie McCarron, Deputy machinery editor