New balers were in keen demand in drought-ravaged 2019 with an 18 per cent lift in national sales year-on-year to 558 units.
The result was 9pc up on the previous five-year average of 513 units.
Demand for small square balers increased again in 2019 with 120 sales, the best result for this class of baler since 2009 when 140 units were sold.
Sales of large square balers reached a record 276 units, a 14pc lift on the 242 machines sold in 2018.
In its 2019 State of the Industry report the Tractor and Machinery Association of Australia sales would have been even higher if supply had kept pace with demand.
The TMA said broadacre grain farmers clearly now considered large square balers part of their harvest risk machinery management strategy.
All types of balers recorded a national sales lift with demand for round balers rising 18pc year-on-year with a total of 558 new units.
Sales of small squares reached 120 units, the best result since 2009. Purchases of large square balers also hit record territory, jumping 14pc to 276.
Baler sales in Queensland rose by 32pc year-on-year to 158 units. The higher demand was driven by a 29pc hike in round balers and a 38pc jump in square balers. Sales of large square balers doubled to 30 units.
Sales in NSW declined by 3pc with total sales of 199. Demand for round balers fell 8pc to 97 units while small square balers (37 sold) and large square balers (65) held steady on 2018 results.
Favourable seasonal conditions and high demand for hay pushed up baler sales in Victoria by 21pc to 351 machines.
The lift in demand was driven by a 25pc increase in round baler sales to 218.
Demand for large squares rose 27pc to 107 sales, the first time this market segment had topped the 100 unit mark.
The small square market lived up to its name with only 26 sales, five fewer than the previous year.
The baler market in South Australia continued to improve with a 12pc increase to 104 units.
Sales of round balers jumped by 26pc to 59 while demand for large square balers dropped slightly to 38 units. Only seven small square balers were sold in 2019.
The Western Australian market showed small gains with total sales of 105 machines.
Round baler sales increased by three to 63 units, small square balers climbed by three to 10 but large square sales fell by 36 to 32 in 2019.
Tasmanian sales hit 31, an increase of 11 units compared with 2018, while six balers were sold in the Northern Territory.
Vernon Graham
Former editor of The Land, former Fairfax Media Agricultural Editor
Former editor of The Land, former Fairfax Media Agricultural Editor
