The great event presenting machines and equipment for agriculture and green area maintenance responds to the health emergency and moves its 44th edition from mid-November 2020 to early February 2021. However, the November rendezvous is not cancelled, turning instead into a digital mega-event, an absolute innovation in the history of the industry's showcases.

The sales figures for the first part of the year show a collapse in March, characterized by the slowdown in activities and then by the stoppage of production sites. Even with a reopening of the industrial plants, the second half of the year will remain conditioned by the reduction in the volumes produced and by the lower investment capacity of farms.

The President of agricultural machinery manufacturers disputes the new decree, which excludes the sector from the agri-food chain, preventing supplies to farms that need them urgently. "Our requests and those of farmers are rational and transparent - says Malavolti - while the reasons of those who oppose us are obscure and incomprehensible".

The risks associated with the spread of Covid-19 impose special prevention rules, but agricultural machinery companies are maintaining good production rates, also to satisfy foreign demand, which accounts for 70% of the sector's turnover. The organization of EIMA International, the world exhibition to be held in Bologna from 11 to 15 November, is running at full capacity.

Sales of green space maintenance machines and equipment held their 2018 levels. After the significant increases recorded in the initial months of the year, demand decreased in the fourth quarter due to bad weather conditions that blocked maintenance operations. The uncertainties related to Coronavirus are affecting the current year.

The national tractor market in 2019 stalled at 18,579 units, while sales of used machines soared to 39,800. Brand new vehicles grew by 0.7% in the year compared to a 5.3% increase for second-hand ones. The drop in agricultural incomes (which fell by 2.6% in 2019) reduces the investment capacity of businesses, fuelling a fallback market that worsens the quality and environmental impact of agricultural processes.

Data on the sales of tractors in the leading countries indicate growth in the United States and Europe in 2019, while India, China and Turkey are decreasing. Exports of Italian machinery are growing. Negative forecasts for the first months of the new year.

Registrations stood at 18,579 in 2019, in line with the average figure for recent years. As regards the other types of machines, combine harvesters, tractors with loading platforms and trailers are decreasing, while telescopic handlers are growing.