Ahead of the free to attend Yorkshire Agricultural Machinery Show (YAMS) at York Auction Centre’s 50-acre site on February 4, the event’s founder Richard Tasker said he had been delighted with support displayed by the farming community and that some 200 trade stands would be showcasing the latest innovations from across the industry.
He said: “Farming continues to face challenging weather and a range of other pressures, yet our exhibitors and supporters consistently show remarkable resilience and determination for the future of the industry.
“We are especially delighted to welcome back Sumo, the manufacturer and supplier of quality cultivation equipment, returning to the show after a break for a few years. Their presence will add value, especially with how fast the cultivation and ag-tech space has evolved.
“As a farming machinery and technology show, we deliver exactly what we promise, and we’re proud of that. Visitors often arrive with trailers attached to their vehicles, ready to do business and a significant amount of trading takes place on the day at YAMS.”
While YAMS continues to attract new exhibitors with 35 making their debuts this year, the Agricultural Engineers Association has revealed the weakest December performance for almost a decade.
Only 541 agricultural tractors over 50hp were registered in December, which represents a 31.6 per cent fall compared with the year before and the lowest December total since 2016. The association said just 8,791 tractors were registered last year, a fall of 14.2 per cent on the previous year and the lowes total since it started monitoring tractor registrations in the 1960s. The figures showed the year-on-year drop in Yorkshire registrations of tractors over 50hp was above 25 per cent.
Industry analysts said a sustained lack of confidence across the farming sector had fuelled the downturn, with a cloud of uncertainty surrounding Government policies hampering investment, alongside pressures such as extreme weather, rising input costs and low commodity prices.
New exhibitors at this year’s YAMS include Omnia Machinery, Moore Farm Services, Agrisilo, Agvantage, VSM Grow Tech, AP Farm Solutions, Briggs Irrigation and Fireward, winners of Safety Innovation of the Year Award and an Excellence in Innovation Award.
Peter Swales, Managing Director of PV Brockhills, the recently formed partnership between Brockhills of Yorkshire and PV Dobson, created to serve a wider region across the North of England, said: “YAMS hits our target audience and is the go-to show because it is so hand-on. It’s the personal touch from the dealers that sets it apart, allowing us to speak with both existing and new clients in an arena that showcases the very best of the industry. The fact it is a one-day event also makes it highly effective from both a time and cost perspective.”
