Historic wheat prices

[Renaultman]

And the reason it's not being branded as another big farming depression now?

Simple.

Because back in the 1920's, 80% of people were involved in farming and were directly impacted. Nowadays, it's less than 0.5%, and nobody cares because food can be shipped in from anywhere.

Or, we could just blame Tony Blair because he was a tw@.

I blame him for everything and I would never call him anything as nice as Tw@

 

[Simon Chiles]

A tractor today is far removed from what they once were,a ton of wheat is just the same now as it was back then

Is it? What everyone seams to forget is that in those days we had 60-80 hp tractors, no air con, 1 manual spool valve and probably only 2wd. Nowadays 200hp is a runaround with front axle and cab suspension, capable of at least 50k, headland management and auto steer. They’re not comparing like with like, price a 2wd 70hp tractor now with no frills and you’ll find it hasn’t gone up quite as much as you think they have.

 

[Spud]

Is it? What everyone seams to forget is that in those days we had 60-80 hp tractors, no air con, 1 manual spool valve and probably only 2wd. Nowadays 200hp is a runaround with front axle and cab suspension, capable of at least 50k, headland management and auto steer. They’re not comparing like with like, price a 2wd 70hp tractor now with no frills and you’ll find it hasn’t gone up quite as much as you think they have.

In 1993 (25yrs ago) dad bought a new frontline tractor - an MF3085, it was £27760, brand fire new. It did just under 1000hrs a year, and was one of five tractors and a telehandler farming 400ac of cereals, 25 sugar beet and 70acres of potatoes. The farm employed two full time men plus dad, plus self employed and casual help. Contractors lifted beet and spuds, cut hedges and ridged and destoned spud land.


Today, we've five tractors doing 5000hrs between them, and two handlers doing every job on the farm bar beet harvesting and hedge cutting. Today's frontline tractors are 200hp and cost a sniff over £100k new. Today's fleet covers 300ac spuds, 80 beet and 600 cereals, with no more full time staff than back in the day, just a bit more casual help at peak times.
More work per tractor hour is extracted now than then, through more power and bigger implements, and as time passes, more efficient operations.

Tractors have doubled in price in the last 10yrs. Prior to 2007/8, they hadn't moved much, in real terms.

The 3085 was 100hp, no frills, dynashift box, air conditioning, 3open centre spools and bog standard tyres.

In 2006 we bought a 7480. 140hp, vario, front links and PTO, 4 ccls valves, datatronic, XM108's etc etc. £45500 - arguably no more expensive than the 3085 was 13yrs previously, having seen a (dire) 6170 and (excellent) 6290 come and go between the two.

Where will it end? Looking at changing a 5yo prime mover at the moment, like for like the price is 20% more than it was just 5 years ago, as a straight buy!

 

[Jon 3085]

In 1993 (25yrs ago) dad bought a new frontline tractor - an MF3085, it was £27760, brand fire new. It did just under 1000hrs a year, and was one of five tractors and a telehandler farming 400ac of cereals, 25 sugar beet and 70acres of potatoes. The farm employed two full time men plus dad, plus self employed and casual help. Contractors lifted beet and spuds, cut hedges and ridged and destoned spud land.


Today, we've five tractors doing 5000hrs between them, and two handlers doing every job on the farm bar beet harvesting and hedge cutting. Today's frontline tractors are 200hp and cost a sniff over £100k new. Today's fleet covers 300ac spuds, 80 beet and 600 cereals, with no more full time staff than back in the day, just a bit more casual help at peak times.
More work per tractor hour is extracted now than then, through more power and bigger implements, and as time passes, more efficient operations.

Tractors have doubled in price in the last 10yrs. Prior to 2007/8, they hadn't moved much, in real terms.

The 3085 was 100hp, no frills, dynashift box, air conditioning, 3open centre spools and bog standard tyres.

In 2006 we bought a 7480. 140hp, vario, front links and PTO, 4 ccls valves, datatronic, XM108's etc etc. £45500 - arguably no more expensive than the 3085 was 13yrs previously, having seen a (dire) 6170 and (excellent) 6290 come and go between the two.

Where will it end? Looking at changing a 5yo prime mover at the moment, like for like the price is 20% more than it was just 5 years ago, as a straight buy!

Still got our 3085,£27,120.00,1/8/93.

 

[Spud]

View attachment 752142Still got our 3085,£27,120.00,1/8/93.

Very nice, how many hours?

Ours left with 3800hrs in August 97. I bought a s/h 3075 in 2003 with 3600hrs for £8250 that's still here on 10600 now, still putting 400hrs a year on the clock with very little bother

 

[Jon 3085]

Very nice, how many hours?

Ours left with 3800hrs in August 97. I bought a s/h 3075 in 2003 with 3600hrs for £8250 that's still here on 10600 now, still putting 400hrs a year on the clock with very little bother

7870 hours,do about 200 a year spraying,drilling and conventional baleing.