North American Tractor Sales Brighten Farm Equipment Outlook
Author: Cotton Grower

Agricultural tractors are one of the bright spots on the farm sales outlook, with sales expected to increase in both Canada and the United States this year and in 2005, according to the semiannual "State of the Ag Industry" forecast of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers.

U.S. sales will increase 6.2% in 2004 and 3.4% in 2005. Canadian tractor business should gain 0.5% in 2004 and 4.8% in 2005. Sales of all tractor types will increase in the U.S. in 2004. For 2005, a 1.3% decline is expected for four-wheel drives. In Canada, the most robust sales growth will be for two-wheel-drive tractors less than 40 PTO hp - 4.1% in 2004 and 6.2% in 2005.