What Country Had a 20% Increase in Tractor Sales? 

Hello from Oxford, England, where I’m visiting one of our sister companies – FAI Farms - a global food chain consulting firm and research farm. It’s Spring time in England – trees are blooming; daffodils are in full color - and that means lambing season here at the farm. More than 1,000 ewes will lamb over the next four weeks.

In news this week… a newly released Gallup poll said a little more than 1/3 of Americans say they are worried about climate change or global warming, putting these concerns at the bottom of a list of eight environmental issues. The level of worry is essentially the same as it was in 1989.

So the challenge facing scientists and organizations that view global warming as a major threat to humanity is that average citizens express so little concern about the issue. Essentially all attempts to raise awareness or change people’s opinions about the disastrous impacts of global warming have not moved the needle with Americans.

Politics is one clear divider – more than half of Democrats say they worry a great deal about it, while less than 20% of Republicans worry a great deal.

Concerns about pollution of drinking water topped the list, reminding us that worries are highest when issues have a direct effect on our daily lives.

Also the Gallup research shows that the majority of Americans believe the extreme cold spells this past winter and drought in the West are normal weather variations and are not linked to climate change.

This year’s first USDA Crop Progress Report has been delayed and will be released today (Tuesday). Amid the drought crossing the US Great Plains, the polar vortex that kept fields in a deep freeze and Russia’s annexation of the Crimea region, US winter wheat futures prices are expected to continue their rally, but we'll see how USDA rates the winter wheat crop. 

In India, tractor sales – a $4.5 billion business - are set to jump by at least 20%, making it the world's largest tractor market by volume.

India's market has taken delivery of 700,000 new machines through March and is pushing local manufacturers such as Mahindra & Mahindra and Tafe against the big US-based global players like John Deere and Case New Holland.

The tractor surge has been driven by the best annual monsoon rains in more than a decade and increased availability of credit. Last week Mahindra, which overtook John Deere to become the world's largest tractor seller by volume in 2012, reported March farm vehicle sales that exceeded expectations.

To read more, click here. 

I’d love to have you follow me on Twitter @sarahmikesell.

Have a great week!

~Sarah