There has been a dip in the number of telescopic loader registrations recorded in the first three months of 2021, according to the latest figures from the Farm Tractor and Machinery Trade Association (FTMTA).
However, registration numbers saw a marked improvement towards the end of the first quarter, the figures show.
Starting off with January, 67 telescopic loaders were registered for January 2021 – this is a drop of 37.96% compared to the 108 sold in January last year, the association says.
Meanwhile, 48 machines were registered last February. This is down 9.43% on the 53 registered in 2020 – with the first two months combined seeing a 28.57% drop compared to the same period last year.
However, fortunes flipped in March, with 68 loaders registered last month – up a healthy 142.86% on the 28 machines recorded for March 2020.
This relative jump in registrations last month saw the difference for the first three months of this year cut to 3.17% behind the same period last year – working out at 183 loaders combined – just six machines less than the 189 recorded by the end of March in 2020.
A total of 389 telescopic loaders were registered in 2020 overall; this was 18.28% or 87 machines less than the 476 loader registrations recorded for 2019.
With a strong finish to a relatively lean first quarter, how the rest of 2021 fares remains to be seen – with all stakeholders hoping for a positive lift heading into the second quarter and beyond.