A Century of Tractors in South Africa: From Steam Power to Smart Farming

Introduction

South African agriculture has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past 100 years, much of it driven by the advent and evolution of the farm tractor. From the early days when oxen and mules pulled ploughs, to today’s GPS-guided “smart” tractors, the relationship between South African farmers and their tractors tells a story of innovation, resilience, and adaptation.

In this in-depth article, we trace the history of tractors in South Africa decade by decade, exploring how global and local brands took root, how technology developed, and what social, economic, and environmental factors shaped the journey. We also highlight insights from farmers and experts on what makes a tractor “good” in the South African context – a timely reflection as the country’s biggest agricultural show (NAMPO in Bothaville) shines a spotlight on the latest farming machinery.

Early Introduction: From Oxen to Iron Workhorses (1920s–1940s)

At the dawn of the 20th century, South African farms were largely powered by animal muscle – span teams of oxen or horses tilled fields and hauled loads. The concept of a mechanical traction engine was revolutionary and met with both curiosity and skepticism. By the 1920s, however, the first tractors had started to puff their way onto the scene. Early models were heavy, temperamental machines – often breaking down “sooner rather than later” – yet they heralded an agricultural revolution.

John Deere and Beyond

South Africa’s initial exposure to John Deere products, for example, came in the 1920s when a Johannesburg firm, Dunell, Ebden and Co., began importing Deere’s farming equipment. Other North American brands like International Harvester’s Farmall and British makes like Fordson were also making inroads by the 1930s.

The traction engine had proven its worth elsewhere, and forward-looking farmers here were eager to try anything that might expand their production. As one historical account notes, by the late 1930s “there were growing numbers of tractors, harvesters and combines on farms, and the area of land under cultivation was expanding.” Mechanization allowed a single farmer to till more land than ever before, boosting output.

Yet progress was gradual. Most early adopters were large commercial operations that could afford the steep cost and constant tinkering these “mechanical monsters” required. World events also intervened – during World War II, the U.S. government actually prohibited John Deere from exporting tractors to South Africa for political and logistical reasons.

This meant farmers had to make do with older machines or British and locally available models throughout the war years. Even so, by the 1940s a core group of South African farms had successfully transitioned from animal traction to tractors.

For instance, Mpumalanga farmer Dick Kerslake recounts how his father bought a pre-owned Farmall Regular in 1940 and then a new McCormick WD-9 in 1948, eventually achieving full mechanisation on their family farm. These early experiences proved the tractor’s value: fields could be ploughed deeper and faster, planting and harvesting could be done on time, and fewer draught animals meant more land and fodder dedicated to cash crops.

Post-War Boom and Brand Proliferation (1950s–1970s)

By the 1950s, South African agriculture was poised for a boom in mechanisation. The post-war period brought economic growth, and farming benefited from new technology developed during the war (like improvements in engines and hydraulics).

Affordable models such as the Ferguson TE-20 “Little Grey Fergie,” introduced in the late 1940s, made tractor ownership a reality for many smaller farmers, not just the big commercial outfits. Massey Harris (later Massey Ferguson) and Ford (with its Fordson Major and Ford N-series tractors) became household names on farms. In fact, Ford opened an assembly plant in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) in 1948 to build Fordson Major diesel tractors, reflecting strong local demand.

By assembling tractors domestically from imported kits, Ford could offer them at competitive prices and in greater numbers. This era also saw agricultural co-operatives and the government facilitating credit schemes, so more farmers could finance new machinery.

Competition among global brands intensified. Massey Ferguson established a robust dealer network across South Africa by the early 1960s – one dealership (Lybasol in Lydenburg) dates back to the “early sixties,” making it one of the country’s oldest MF dealers.

John Deere, which had entered through agents decades earlier, formally expanded its presence: in 1962 Deere acquired a 75% stake in a local implement company and began assembling small tractors in Nigel, Gauteng.

International Harvester’s Farmall tractors also gained a loyal following, prized for their versatility. Farmer anecdotes from this time speak to the rapid uptake of new models. “My grandfather apparently bought the Massey Ferguson 188 [around 1978]... now it mainly draws the feed mixer and the slasher,” recalls fourth-generation farmer Jaco Coetser, whose family gradually upgraded through MF 65, 680, 6495, and now into the high-tech 7700 series.

Such stories were common: many farms kept an older, smaller tractor for light chores and added larger tractors for heavy tillage and planting as they could afford them.

Mechanization fundamentally changed farming practices and rural life. 

Tractor power freed farms from the limits of animal labor – more land could be brought under production and worked more efficiently. This contributed to South Africa’s agricultural expansion in the 1960s and 1970s, when high global commodity prices and improved crop varieties (the Green Revolution) encouraged farmers to maximise yields.

By the late 1970s, virtually all commercial farming operations were fully mechanised, with multiple tractors handling specialised tasks. A survey of equipment available in South Africa in the late ’70s shows how diverse the offerings had become: John Deere alone was selling its Mannheim-built 30 series tractors for row crops, larger Waterloo-built models for heavy work, as well as combines, ploughs, harrows, planters and more by the end of the 1970s. 

Farmers could choose the size and features that suited their operation, whether a 30-horsepower orchard tractor or a 130-horsepower workhorse for wheat lands.

Importantly, this period also cemented farmers’ expectations of strong product support. Even decades ago, farmers valued prompt parts availability and service. Dick Kerslake recalls that in the 1960s his father could order spares by 3pm from International Harvester’s office in Isando, Johannesburg, and they’d arrive by train that same evening – “that was service!”. This level of support built brand loyalty that in many cases persists across generations.

As Francois Potgieter, a veteran MF dealer, put it, “My feeling is that Massey Ferguson set up and established farming in South Africa”, enabling many family farms (and his own dealership business) to thrive.

The 1980s: Local Innovations in a Time of Challenges

The 1980s brought a mix of headwinds and ingenuity. Droughts and an unstable economy (especially the mid-1980s debt crisis) strained farm incomes. International sanctions during the apartheid era also began to bite, making imports of some equipment more difficult or expensive. In response, South African farmers and engineers developed home-grown solutions and emphasized self-reliance. It’s during this period that local tractor manufacturing ventures emerged to cater to South Africa’s unique needs.

One famous example is the ACO tractor. Founded in 1985 by two enterprising farmers, Alf and Koos Coetzer, ACO built big, no-frills 4×4 tractors on their farm near Hoopstad. Over 15 years they produced roughly 490 of these bright yellow giants (aptly nicknamed “Oubaas,” meaning ‘boss’), including models up to 600 horsepower – at one point the most powerful tractor in Africa, boasting an 820 hp V12 engine.

The motivation was simple: large-scale grain and cotton farms in the Free State and elsewhere needed high-horsepower, heavy-duty tractors, and overseas models were either hard to get or very costly. ACO tractors earned a reputation for brute strength and became legends in their own right among those who ran them.

Another success story is Agrico, a local company better known for irrigation equipment. In 1985, Agrico drove its first tractor off the assembly line in Lichtenburg (North West Province). To date, Agrico has produced over 700 tractors, making it “the only tractor manufacturer in Africa” as of the late 2010s.

Agrico’s philosophy speaks volumes about what South African farmers in this era were looking for: “Our tractors are simple, straightforward and easy for a farmer to maintain and repair. They are designed with the minimum of electronics, and therefore very reliable,” says Paul Burger, Agrico’s Tractor and Implement Manager. In an environment with limited access to high-tech diagnostics and where a breakdown at peak season can be disastrous, this simplicity was a selling point.

Agrico focused on articulated 4×4 tractors (160–400 kW range) built to “make short shrift of tough work in tough circumstances” like deep ploughing and ripping. They also engineered local solutions such as fitting Mercedes-Benz engines and robust ZF axles, but intentionally avoided complex electronics – a design approach born out of the 1980s ethos that a farmer should be able to fix his own machine on Sunday afternoon if need be.

Global to Glocal

Meanwhile, the major global brands in South Africa also adapted. John Deere invested in local manufacturing during this decade, opening a new tractor assembly plant in Nigel in 1982. The tractors built there were fitted with South African-made ADE diesel engines (license-built Perkins engines) to increase local content.

Through the 1980s, Deere and others also ramped up production of implements domestically – for example, John Deere’s Nigel factory was turning out ploughs, harrows and planters not just for South Africa but for export around the region by the mid-80s.

This local manufacturing boomlet created jobs and kept farmers supplied despite import restrictions. It also meant equipment was tailored to local preferences: a great example is the John Deere 7000-series planter, introduced in 1976 and by 1988 fully manufactured in South Africa with innovations like a vacuum seed metering system to improve precision planting. Such implements became the benchmarks for local farmers’ expectations in performance.

By the end of the 1980s, South African farmers had access to most of the same modern features seen overseas: cabs with air-conditioning (no small luxury under the African sun), four-wheel-drive for larger tractors, powershift or synchromesh transmissions for easier operation, and improved hydraulics for bigger implements.

The mechanical simplicity vs. electronic sophistication trade-off was already emerging as a theme – some farmers welcomed early onboard electronics, while others preferred machines “that just keep going on and on” with basic maintenance. Notably, smaller-scale farmers in developing areas continued to value the older models for this reason. A BBC report in 2016 highlighted how Massey Ferguson models from the 1960s (like the MF 135 and 165) were “the machine of choice for farmers who have been ploughing with cattle… looking to upgrade”, precisely because “they’re so basic but incredibly reliable”. This dynamic was as true in parts of rural South Africa as it was across the continent.

Opening Markets and Technological Leaps (1990s–2000s)

The early 1990s brought monumental change to South Africa’s political and economic landscape, and the agricultural machinery sector was no exception. As apartheid ended and sanctions lifted, South Africa’s markets opened up. Protective import tariffs were reduced or eliminated by the mid-1990s as part of economic liberalisation – a policy shift that had direct implications for local tractor production.

In 1995, South Africa did away with protective duties, and John Deere “phased out” its local 51-series tractor manufacturing, opting to import newer models like the Mannheim-built 6000 series. Other manufacturers followed suit; for example, some Massey Ferguson units that might have been assembled or adapted locally in the past were now simply brought in fully built from overseas factories.

While this led to the closure of facilities like Deere’s Nigel plant in 2005 (after 43 years of operation), it also meant South African farmers suddenly had access to the latest global models almost in real-time.

Throughout the late 1990s and 2000s, global brands consolidated and expanded in the South African market. Case Corporation and New Holland merged to form CNH Global in 1999, meaning sister brands Case IH and New Holland were often sold side-by-side by dealers. AGCO Corporation (which owns Massey Ferguson, Fendt, Valtra and others) strengthened its presence. John Deere solidified its position and by 2011 became the country’s top-selling tractor marque.

With the end of isolation, companies also made South Africa their African beachhead: Deere’s sub-Saharan Africa headquarters and parts depot were established near Johannesburg (with regional offices opened in Kenya and Ghana by 2014). By serving the broader African market from South Africa, these firms invested in local training, parts distribution and support infrastructure – benefiting South African customers with better service. Indeed, by 2012 John Deere had opened a 5,000 m² parts warehouse by O.R. Tambo Airport to expedite spares country-wide.

This era also saw new entrants targeting niche segments and emerging farmers. For instance, Kubota (known for smaller utility tractors) set up distribution through Smith Power Equipment, catering to horticulture, dairy and municipal markets.

Mahindra, the Indian manufacturer, entered South Africa in the 2000s, initially in automobiles and later introducing its range of simple, affordable tractors. By around 2018, Mahindra South Africa had launched models like the 7500-series tractors (60–75 horsepower), aiming to establish SA as its “home outside India” and appealing to cost-conscious farmers. Similarly, Chinese-made tractors (such as YTO or Solis from India) have appeared, though their market share remains small compared to the big four (John Deere, CNH, AGCO/MF, and Kubota).

Technology Evolution

On the technology front, the late 1990s and 2000s brought precision agriculture to South African fields. Farmers began using GPS guidance and auto-steer systems to reduce overlap and save fuel. Early adopters outfitted tractors with yield monitors and later with variable-rate controllers for seeding and fertilising.

By the mid-2000s, stories of farmers sitting back as their tractors steered themselves down the row (with only a satellite signal and a gentle hand on the wheel) were no longer fantasy but a growing reality on large grain farms. Manufacturers integrated these capabilities: by 2004 John Deere had launched its own satellite guidance and also introduced self-propelled sprayers in SA, which quickly dominated the sprayer market. Local companies, too, innovated – a South African guidance system called “Trimble Africa” was in use on some tractors. All of this marked a shift from purely mechanical tractors to electro-mechanical farm systems, where software and sensors became as important as steel and horsepower for productivity.

Farmers’ criteria for what made a “good tractor” began to evolve accordingly. The traditional virtues of reliability and simplicity remained paramount, but now efficiency (fuel economy), operator comfort, and technological compatibility were increasingly part of the conversation. As older farmers retired, a new generation – often with agricultural college training in computers and agronomy – took the reins of family farms. For them, precision farming was a given. Still, many kept a trusty old tractor around for basic tasks, valuing the balance.

On one hand, a new 200 kW tractor with air-conditioned cab and GPS autosteer could plant a 100 ha field in a fraction of the time it took their grandfathers. On the other hand, that grandfather’s Massey Ferguson 135 might still run a pumphouse or tow a wagon on the same farm, five decades later, its value long since paid off. South African agriculture in the 2000s thus became a mosaic of the old and the new, with ultra-modern combines harvesting wheat on one side of a fence while a team of oxen might still plough a smallholding on the other side.

Today’s Tractors: High-Tech Titans and Trusted Partners (2010s–2020s)

As we enter the 2020s, tractors in South Africa have reached new heights of sophistication. Major manufacturers now roll out their latest and greatest at events like Grain SA’s NAMPO Harvest Day in Bothaville – where farmers flock to see machines that often combine massive power with digital smarts.

It’s not unusual at NAMPO to see a 600-horsepower articulated tractor (like the John Deere 9570RX) sold on the first morning of the show, with a dozen more orders by week’s end – evidence that local farmers are eager adopters of world-class technology. At the same time, the showgrounds also feature compact tractors, specialised orchard/vineyard models, and retrofits of existing machines with the latest tech, reflecting the broad spectrum of needs.

 Modern tractors in South Africa boast advanced features like rubber tracks for reduced soil compaction, GPS-guided steering, precision implements, and telematics for remote monitoring. These high-tech workhorses contrast with the simple machines of a century ago, highlighting the evolution of farm equipment.

Market leaders and key players: 

The South African tractor market today is dominated by a few familiar names. John Deere has maintained a leading market share (around 30% in recent years) and is the single biggest seller of new tractors since about 2011.

Hot on its heels are the brands under CNH Industrial – Case IH (the red machines) and New Holland (the blue machines) – which together account for a large segment of sales. AGCO, through Massey Ferguson (and to a lesser extent Fendt and Valtra), remains a strong player with deep brand loyalty among many farmers.

Kubota has been expanding in the 50–120 hp segment, appealing especially to small-scale producers and dairy or beef farmers who need reliable utility tractors.

Mahindra has also started to carve out a niche by offering no-frills tractors at competitive prices to emerging farmers. According to a recent industry report, the major vendors are focusing on innovation, precision farming tech, and strong after-sales service to cement customer loyalty.

The market is concentrated – these top four companies (Deere, CNH, AGCO, Kubota) and their various brands make up the bulk of tractor sales – yet competition is vigorous, especially in certain power categories.

Not Only Brute Power

Interestingly, despite the impression one might get from media about giant tractors, the heart of the South African tractor market in terms of units sold lies in the 50–100 horsepower range. This segment remains popular because many mixed farming operations, smaller commercial farms, and large-scale farms (for auxiliary uses) all rely on mid-sized tractors.

It’s noted that “the 50 HP–100 HP segment recorded a high market share in 2022,” driven by many small and medium farmers and supported by government schemes to enhance mechanization. In other words, while huge 300+ HP tractors grab headlines, the trusty “four-cylinder” 75 HP tractor is still a backbone on thousands of farms, used for everything from mowing and baling to loader work and transport.

The tractors of today are worlds apart from those of 1923 in capability. A modern cabin resembles an aircraft cockpit: plush seat, climate control, multiple digital displays, GPS receivers on the roof, and controls for implements at the driver’s fingertips.

Precision-ag features are often factory-integrated – auto-steering systems that keep rows razor-straight, section control on planters and sprayers to avoid overlap, and telematics units that send performance data via cellular network. “The new larger tractors come with monitoring devices that allow manufacturers and owners to track performance, get alerts for maintenance, and even diagnose problems remotely,” explains Lucas Groenewald of John Deere South Africa.

This means a technician in Johannesburg can sometimes troubleshoot a tractor in the field hundreds of kilometers away and dispatch a part or advice before a minor issue becomes a major breakdown. Such connectivity reduces downtime and is increasingly available not just on high-end models but trickling down to mid-range tractors too.

Engines and Drivetrains

Another noticeable evolution is in engine and drivetrain technology. South Africa, while not yet mandating the ultra-strict emissions of Europe or North America, is moving towards cleaner engines. Modern tractors sold here usually meet at least EU Stage II or IIIA emission standards.

Manufacturers have achieved this while also improving fuel efficiency and power output. Transmissions have evolved from the unsynchronized gearboxes of old to smooth power-shift or continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) that optimize speed and engine RPM automatically for fuel economy. As Groenewald notes, larger tractors have also become more cost-effective per kilowatt, often being cheaper (in cost per HP) than smaller models – one reason farmers are upsizing their fleets. Indeed, the average power of tractors in the national fleet has steadily increased: the five-year average power per tractor is now around 83 kW, up from 76 kW twenty years ago.

From an economic perspective, the 2010s have been generally positive for machinery sales, barring drought-induced dips. In 2022, South Africa saw 9,181 new tractors sold – a 17% jump from 2021 and the highest annual sales in 40 years.

This boom was attributed to a combination of excellent crop yields, high commodity prices (which boosted farmers’ purchasing power), and perhaps a bit of catch-up replacement of older units. It even outstripped the sales of the early 1980s. Combine harvester sales similarly hit a high (373 units in 2022, the most since 1985).

All of this signals confidence in agriculture’s prospects. Looking ahead, one market analysis forecasts tractor demand growing modestly to about 11,150 units per year by 2028 (roughly 3.3% annual growth) – indicating that tractors will continue to be big business.

However, 2023 did see a slight pullback in tractor sales as commodity prices normalized and a severe summer drought hit parts of the country. This underscores that weather and global markets still heavily influence farmers’ buying power, just as they did decades ago.

Environmentally, tractors are a double-edged sword. On one hand, heavy machinery has raised concerns about soil compaction and sustainability. The industry has responded with solutions like flotation tyres, rubber tracks, and controlled-traffic farming to mitigate soil damage.

The New Holland SmartTrax system, for example, which mounts tracks on high-power tractors, offers better traction with less ground pressure – useful for South African farmers working on light soils or seeking to start fieldwork earlier after rains. On the other hand, mechanization has enabled conservation agriculture practices such as no-till or minimum tillage.

By using powerful tractors and specialised planters, farmers can sow directly into residue, reducing erosion and preserving moisture. Thus, modern tractors have become tools in climate adaptation – helping farmers plant within increasingly narrow weather windows, and enabling precision application of inputs to avoid waste and environmental harm.

What Makes a Great Tractor for South African Farmers?

Over 100 years, the essence of a “good tractor” has been debated around many a farm kitchen table and workshop. While needs vary, South African farmers and analysts often point to a common set of qualities that define the ideal machine for local conditions:

• Reliable and Robust: Reliability is non-negotiable. A tractor must withstand long hours in harsh conditions – from the highveld’s dust and heat to the KZN Midlands’ humidity. Engines and drivetrains need to handle varied terrain and sometimes sub-par fuel quality. As Perkins, an engine maker, notes, South African conditions – “high levels of dust, temperature extremes, varied terrain and inconsistent fuel” – challenge engine reliability. Farmers prize brands and models with a track record of durability. It’s telling that many still hold onto tractors from the 1970s and 80s as backup units simply because they refuse to quit. “These old Masseys… they’re so basic but they just keep going on and on,” an equipment auctioneer said of the legendary MF 135/165 series, which remain staples in many developing areas.

• Ease of Maintenance and Support: Given the distances and remoteness of many farms, a good tractor should be serviceable without requiring a PhD in electronics. This doesn’t mean farmers shun technology – but it does mean technology must be backed by excellent dealer support. One dealer-farmer relationship in Mpumalanga has lasted over 60 years; the farmer, Jaco Coetser, jokes that the dealer’s reps “actually visit too often!” – but he appreciates that he can phone anytime and they’ll deliver parts after hours if needed. Fast, reliable parts supply and responsive service are often cited as more important than the initial purchase price. Paul Burger of Agrico deliberately kept their tractors simple “with minimum electronics” so farmers could maintain and repair them easily in the field. Even with high-tech tractors, South African farmers expect that downtime be minimized – through on-board diagnostics, remote monitoring, and a strong maintenance regime. In fact, manufacturers now emphasize predictive maintenance: sensors that alert to potential issues so that servicing can be done proactively, preventing costly breakdowns during harvest.

• Power and Efficiency Suited to the Task: Farmers here carefully match tractor size to their needs. “One size fits all” does not apply – a good tractor is one appropriately powered for its workload and fuel-efficient for its size. With rising diesel costs, fuel economy is critical. Jaco Coetser notes that diesel consumption on the bigger modern tractors is surprisingly good for the work they do. That said, buying the biggest machine on the block is not automatically the goal. “The choice of which tractor to buy depends on what it will be used for and the size of the land,” explains Lucas Groenewald. Many South African farms still find a 60–90 kW (80 HP) tractor to be the “sweet spot” that can perform multiple roles without guzzling fuel. Larger operations, however, value high horsepower to cover large fields quickly. In areas like the Free State and Mpumalanga grain belts, the trend has been toward fewer, bigger tractors because “more powerful tractors are able to cover larger areas in a day, which is crucial in time-sensitive planting windows”. The bottom line: a good tractor provides ample power with efficient fuel use, neither underpowered nor wastefully oversized.

• Adaptability and Versatility: South African farmers often diversify their enterprises – a day’s work might include ploughing lands, loading bales, and even driving into town. A good tractor can handle this variety. Features like 4WD engage for field work but disengage for easier turning on the headlands, or a loader attachment that can be added, increase a tractor’s utility. Quick coupling of implements, good hydraulic capacity, and configurable wheel tracks for different row crops all make a tractor more valued on a mixed farm. Many tractors in the 50–100 HP class are expected to be true all-rounders: plough in the morning, rake hay in the afternoon, and pull a trailer to the silo by evening. Versatility is one reason the 75 HP range is so popular – it’s small enough to be nimble and big enough to lift heavy loads.

• Operator Comfort and Safety: Gone are the days when a farmer would bounce along on a bare metal seat all day. With farming becoming more business-oriented and the work force including more skilled operators, comfort matters. An ergonomic cab with low noise, air-conditioning, clear visibility, and easy controls means an operator can work longer hours with less fatigue (important during planting and harvesting sprints). It also improves safety – enclosed cabs protect from rollovers and dust exposure. Brands differentiate themselves with features like suspension systems (to smooth out rough fields) and intuitive joystick controls. As one AGCO product manager noted, they strive to make equipment that “puts the farmer first by thinking of his comfort, performance and wallet”, balancing advanced technology with affordability. A tractor that is comfortable and user-friendly encourages better upkeep and attracts skilled drivers, which in turn boosts productivity.

• Technology and Precision Farming Capabilities: Increasingly, South African farmers view precision tech not as bells-and-whistles but as essentials for large-scale efficiency. Thus, a “good” modern tractor should be compatible with precision agriculture tools – whether that means it comes guidance-ready from the factory, or has ISOBUS connections to communicate with planters and sprayers, or can be upgraded with autosteer kits. Many farmers are now asking: does this tractor integrate with my yield-mapping software? Can I retrofit it with a telemetry module to track its work hours and fuel usage remotely? Manufacturers have picked up on this demand. For example, newer mid-range tractors are being sold with optional GPS steering packages and sectional control for planters. Farmers who run contracting businesses or multiple farms especially appreciate these features to ensure jobs are done right and efficiently. In short, the modern South African farmer increasingly defines a “good” tractor as one that not only has brute strength, but also brains – or at least the ability to link to the brains (software) of the farming operation.

• Value for Money and Resale: Finally, economics matter. A tractor is a big investment and farmers expect it to hold value. Brands that offer lower total cost of ownership (through fuel savings, fewer breakdowns, or inclusive service plans) earn favor. Massey Ferguson recently highlighted how their Global Series tractors were designed to lower the cost of ownership for South African farmers, combining straightforward design with warranty support. Resale value is also key – a reliable brand with widespread service will fetch a better price on the second-hand market, which farmers consider as part of the asset’s value. In this regard, the likes of John Deere and Massey have traditionally enjoyed strong resale markets; increasingly, brands like Kubota and New Holland are proving their durability and earning trust in the used market as well.

Conclusion: From the First Furrow to the Future

In the span of a century, South African agriculture has moved from the era of the plodding ox-wagon to that of satellite-guided megamachines. Tractors have been at the heart of this evolution – changing not only how farmers work their fields, but even the scale and scope of what farming means.

In the 1920s, a tractor was a novelty that could perhaps replace a team of oxen on a lucky farm or two. By the 2020s, tractors (numbering over 108,000 in the national fleet) are indispensable, and their impact is evident in South Africa’s ability to be a top producer of maize, sugar, fruit, and more. Each generation of tractors built upon the last: the tough machines of the mid-20th century proved the concept and spread widely; the innovations of the late 20th century improved power and comfort; and the high-tech tractors of today have made precision farming routine.

It has also been a story of partnership between farmers and manufacturers. International companies brought innovation and scale, while South African farmers and engineers adapted and sometimes created solutions tailor-made for Africa (from the legendary “green and yellow” John Deeres imported in the 1930s, to the home-grown ACO and Agrico tractors built to handle African fields on African terms).

Socially, tractors helped free farm workers from some of the drudgery of manual labor, but also meant fewer labourers were needed – a double-edged sword in a country with rural unemployment. Environmentally, tractors enabled expanding cultivation and modern techniques, even as their weight and fuel use introduced new challenges. Each decade saw farmers adapting to get the most benefit from mechanisation while trying to mitigate its downsides.

As we publish this ahead of NAMPO Bothaville, it’s worth reflecting on how far we’ve come. The NAMPO show itself started in 1967 with just 200 farmers, and today draws over 80,000 visitors – a testament to farmers’ unquenchable thirst for advancement and knowledge. On the NAMPO grounds, one might see an antique 1940s Farmall or 1960s “Belas” tractor on display, lovingly restored, right alongside the latest autonomous concept tractors that promise a future of driverless farming. Walking through the exhibits, it’s easy to imagine the awe that early farmers must have felt seeing their first tractor roar to life – a feeling not unlike the awe we feel today at how integrated and smart these beasts have become.

And yet, for all the innovation, the core needs remain the same: to till, to plant, to harvest efficiently and reliably. “When one has spent as much time as I have, ploughing, planting and combining, it is rewarding to look back on how things were in the past to where we have progressed today – from ploughing with a team of oxen to the huge, technically advanced tractors and combines of today that can harvest hundreds of hectares with ease,” writes Dick Kerslake, reflecting on his family’s 118-year farming legacy. His words capture the sweep of history and the essence of progress.

South African farmers have embraced tractors not just as machines, but as partners in production – trusted enough to merit nicknames, beloved enough to be passed down through generations, and important enough to argue about over a braai fire (“green vs red vs blue” debates can be as passionate as rugby rivalries!).

As we look to the future, tractors will undoubtedly continue to evolve – perhaps electric or hydrogen fuelled models will one day traverse our fields, guided by artificial intelligence. But whatever form they take, these iron workhorses will keep pulling the weight of South Africa’s agricultural ambitions, just as they have for the past 100 years.

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Sources:

• Spencer, Joe. Farmers Weekly – “Vintage farming machinery” (22 April 2016) – Historical context of early tractors

• ProAgri Magazine – “Every farmer covets a John Deere (since long ago)” (May 2019) – History of John Deere in South Africa

• ProAgri Magazine – “Agrico tractors: Built for Africa in Africa” (Nov 2017) – Agrico’s local tractor manufacturing and philosophy

• Case IH South Africa – “Dick Kerslake’s Farmall Story” (July 2023) – Farmer’s account of mechanization from 1940s onward

• Steyn, Maryna. ProAgriMedia – “Together for the long haul: Massey Ferguson and the farmer” (Feb 2023) – Loyalty to MF brand, dealer relationship since 1960s

• Wandile Sihlobo (Agbiz) – Agricultural Machinery commentary (Sept 2024) – Recent sales statistics (record 2022 sales)

• Glenneis Kriel. Farmers Weekly – “Tractor power doubles in 20 years…” (April 2025) – Stats on tractor fleet size & power, expert quotes

• GlobeNewswire / Research&Markets Report (Nov 2023) – South Africa Tractor Market outlook 2023–2028

• BBC News – Andy Walker, “Is this the world’s favourite second-hand tractor?” (13 June 2016) – Popularity of MF 135/165 in Africa

• Ford Media – “#OurFordStory – Ford Fanatic Farmer” (Feb 2024) – History of Fordson tractor assembly in SA in 1948

• Farmers Weekly – “Tractors at Nampo” (July 2016) – Notable tractor debuts and tech at NAMPO show

• Perkins Engines Powernews – “Argo Tractors support farmers across the globe” (2025) – Engine reliability in SA conditions

• Additional historical insights from South African History Online and Grain SA archives.