Escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and China is providing South American producers with opportunities to grow their market share in soybeans and other grains. This could lay the groundwork for increased farm equipment sales starting in 2019. In its most recent outlook, John Deere said it expects an improvement of up to 5% in South American machine sales in the year ahead.

Sales of all farm machinery reported by Argentina’s National Institute of Statistics and Census (Indec) registered a decline of 8.7% during the third quarter of 2018 compared to the same period of 2017. Overall revenue reached nearly AR$7.5 billion ($199.1 million at current exchange rates). The unit sales drop was more significant for harvesters (102 units), which declined 65.1%, while tractor sales (1,335 units) dropped 53.9%. Agricultural implements (1,388 units) decreased 35.4% and seeder sales (596 units) fell 19.2%.

The latest report from Brazil’s Anfavea reveals that year-over-year tractor sales in November escalated by nearly 23%, but they dropped 29.4% compared to the previous month. In October, tractor sales reached 2,873 units vs. 2,336 in November of 2017 and 4,070 in October 2018. Year-to-date, sales increased to 36,118 units vs. 33,238 in the same period last year.

Just days after announcing around 70 layoffs when production of tractor transmissions is transferred to China from a YTO factory in northern France, the Chinese manufacturer revealed plans to develop and assemble a new line of tractors at the plant. According to French media reports, YTO will unveil a new tractor brand at the SIMA show in Paris in February with the goal of having the machines for sale in 2020.

Argentinian company Maizco has introduced a new combine for harvesting sunflowers. The new unit is called GrandFlow.