Gardening: declining market in the first half-year
Data compiled by the manufacturers' association indicate an overall drop of 14.5% in the first half of the year, with more or less pronounced declines for almost all product types. The anomalous weather trend, together with inflation and rising price lists, is holding back a market that had recorded substantial growth in the 2020-2021 two-year period.
The market for gardening and landscaping machinery and equipment ends the first half of the year on a downward trend. Sales figures - processed by the Comagarden manufacturers' association on the basis of the Morgan survey network - indicate a 14.5% drop, in terms of quantity, compared to the first half of last year, with different trends for the various product types. These include chainsaws (-16.8%), tillers (-23%), garden tractors (-4.6%) and consumer ride-on mowers (-5.3%). Gardenvacs/Blower (-12.3%) and traditional lawn mowers also fell (-24.1%), even if within the typology the positive trend continues for robotic models, which recorded a 13% increase in the semester. Among the few items in the black were hedge trimmers (+11.5%) and ride-on mowers for professional use, which showed a growth of 81.1%, albeit referring to a rather limited number of machines. The drop in sales - Comagarden explains - is due to a combination of factors, first and foremost economic uncertainty and inflation, with the consequent increase in list prices, which discourage purchases especially by the private and hobbyist public. Futhermore, there is the anomalous weather trend, which has seen long periods of drought alternating with floods that have negatively affected the development of vegetation, leading to a reduction in investments for maintenance in public parks, private gardens and sports facilities. Beyond the particular economic and meteorological context - Comagarden observes - a downsizing of the market was foreseeable, also to compensate for the impressive growth that occurred in the years 2020-2021 in conjunction with the Covid crisis, lockdowns and travel restrictions, which had fuelled greater attention to green care, especially on the part of private individuals and hobbyists. A greater stabilisation of the economy and weather trend - Comagarden concludes - could allow a partial recovery of sales in the second half of the year, which is estimated to end with a deficit of around 6%, with about 1.2 million machines and equipment sold in total.
The latest FederUnacoma press releases
Against the backdrop of the Bari exhibition, FederUnacoma is presenting a comic strip entitled "Federunacomics, agricultural machinery in safety", which tells the story of the agro-mechanical sector in the typical language of "comix", addressing an audience of young people interested in agriculture and the correct use of mechanical means.
The exhibition of agricultural machinery for the Mediterranean is approaching its October appointment with a packed calendar of conferences, seminars and workshops. The focus of the event will be on policies and strategies for the development of the region's agricultural economies, as well as technical topics with in-depth studies by universities, sector publishers, and trade associations.
The exhibition of agricultural machinery for the Mediterranean, staged in Bari from 5 to 8 October, includes initiatives specifically dedicated to students at agricultural and industrial technical institutes. Guided tours, workshops, seminars and driving simulators will be available for young people who aspire to work in contact with the most advanced agro-mechanical technologies.
Around 120 official foreign delegates from 27 countries are expected at the Bari exhibition complex from 5 to 8 October, joined by thousands of independent operators expected from more than 60 countries. Business meetings between the delegations and exhibiting companies, scheduled for 5 and 6 October, will take place in a pavilion specially set up in the northern area of the Fiera del Levante. FederUnacoma: "the Bari exhibition has a Mediterranean vocation but is also confirmed as a pole of attraction for other agricultural economies".