Agricultural machinery: climate and geopolitical crises are holding back the market
The first half of the year saw a decline in sales in many countries. Investments in farming technologies are being hampered by falling farm incomes, even though potential demand remains high. “Weather and climate events affect agriculture not only in terms of productivity,” notes Mariateresa Maschio, “but also in terms of their impact on agricultural land, and this weakens primary producers.”
The agricultural machinery sector is facing a complex situation. Whilst global potential demand for agricultural technology remains high, driven by the need to produce more and better, market dynamics are being held back by unfavourable economic conditions. The rise in the cost of raw materials and fertilisers – a direct consequence of the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East – and the fall in crop yields, caused in many parts of the world by the effects of climate change, are affecting agricultural income and, consequently, the investments in technology. This is the scenario outlined by FederUnacoma President Mariateresa Maschio at the press conference presenting the 47th edition of EIMA International, the world’s leading agricultural machinery exhibition, scheduled to take place in Bologna from 10 to 14 November. During the press conference, held this afternoon at the headquarters of the ICE Agency in Rome, the president of the Federation of Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers (the direct organiser of EIMA) focused in particular on the impact of climate change. “2025 was the third hottest year on record and confirms a trend that has been ongoing for decades, which lies at the root of increasingly frequent extreme weather and climate events. These events,” said the president of FederUnacoma, “affect agriculture, not only in terms of crop productivity and health but also in terms of land instability, soil erosion and the deterioration of water infrastructure.” A further threat to global agriculture this year is posed by El Niño, which is forecasted to reach an unprecedented intensity, with a temperature rise of up to 3.6°. FAO projections for the 2025–2026 season indicate a 2% decline in global cereal production. Significant declines are expected too in the US (-8% overall for cereals), in Canada (-8% for wheat) and in Europe, where soya is expected to fall by 14% compared with the average of the last five years, grain maize by 7% and potatoes by 6%.
Trends in agricultural production are reflected in trends in the agricultural machinery market, which – as highlighted by the president of FederUnacoma – is slowing down, particularly in countries where purchases of innovative machinery predominate. The first half of 2026 saw declines in the United States (-14%, with 89,000 machines sold), in Canada (-10%, with 10,000 units registered) and in Brazil (-16%, with 20,000 machines). Europe showed a slight recovery (+1.5%), with registrations rising to 70,000 units, though there were significant variations at national level. Growth was recorded in the Balkans, Central and Eastern Europe, Spain and the United Kingdom; meanwhile, Germany, France and Italy – the countries accounting for the largest share of European sales – saw a decline. The first six months also revealed a sharp slowdown in Turkey (-55%, with 10,700 units) and impressive growth in India (+41%, with 685,000 units). The agricultural machinery market therefore presents an uncertain and fragmented landscape, against which it is essential to capitalise on every possible business opportunity, by meeting the demand for specific product categories across a wide variety of regional contexts. “From this perspective, the value of EIMA International stands out even more clearly,” concluded Mariateresa Maschio, “as a trade fair platform capable not only of bringing together all the components of the agricultural-industrial supply chains from every part of the world, but also of facilitating the sharing of information and strategies for innovation in agriculture.”
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