Gardening machines, sales drop in the first half of the year

The market of gardening machinery and equipment slows down in the first six months of the year. This is what the data processed by the Comagarden manufacturers' association indicate on the basis of the Morgan group surveys. Compared to the first half of last year, sales volumes recorded an overall drop of 14.5%, albeit with a diversified trend for the different types of product. While garden tractors and ride-ons contained losses, leaving on the ground some 5%, instead blowers-vacuums (-12.3%), chainsaws (-16.8%) and motor hoes (-23%) saw a decline more pronounced. A decidedly negative result for traditional lawnmowers, which close the half-year with a drop of 24.1%. Among the few positive items, that of hedge trimmers (+11.5%) and that of ride-ons for professional use which show a growth of 81.1%, albeit referring to a more limited number of units. According to the manufacturers' association, the drop in sales, which comes after two years of market growth, is due to a combination of factors. Sales - explains Comagarden - were conditioned not only by economic uncertainty and inflation, but also by anomalous weather conditions.