John Deere Is Losing the Farmers to China (Here's Why)

In the first half of 2026, Brazil imported 14,985 tractors, and 2 out of every 3 came from China. They arrive at prices 30 to 40% below the brands farmers grew up with. Meanwhile, John Deere's profit has been cut in half since 2023. We go through 5 reasons Deere is losing its grip on farmers: the squeeze on farm income and the rush to used iron, the real reason Chinese tractors cost less (it's not mainly labor), the right-to-repair fight Deere settled in 2026, the Chinese factories and banks moving into Brazil, and the Chinese brands already selling in Mexico, right across the border from Texas. Then we give Deere's side of the story, and end with one number that shows how big this could get. No politics. Just the numbers from Deere's own reports, named market studies, and a verdict on when a cheaper tractor makes sense and when you should buy the support network. Would you still go green, or would you take the 30% and the risk? Tell us in the comments. Sources: Deere & Company quarterly results and earnings call (August 2026); Deere annual results (fiscal 2023 to 2025) USDA Economic Research Service, farm income forecast (September 2026) CNN Brasil and Money Times, Cogo Inteligência em Agronegócio import study (August 2026); Anfavea 2025 market data Maquinac, Mexico Tractor Market Report 2025 (March 2026); AgroLatam on Chinese farm machinery exports (August 2026) FTC and court filings coverage of the Deere right-to-repair settlements (April and July 2026) Single-source figures and company claims are labeled as such in the video. Totals that combine more than one source are our own estimates and are described that way.