Sourcing agricultural scythes from China

Agricultural scythes: zero duty

Heading 8201 covers the listed agricultural, horticultural and forestry hand tools, including scythes. Agricultural scythes fall within the other hand tools line, 8201 90 00 00. The table shows complete scythe variants sharing that line, rather than separate tariff subdivisions. See the garden hand tools guide for the wider heading.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 18 October 2026, the supplied tariff record lists 0% duty for goods from China under this line. It lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, steel measure, suspension or attached import control. Import VAT is separate from customs duty.

Confirm the commodity code against the actual goods and how they are presented, especially where blades or shafts are ordered separately. The import duty and VAT guide explains the calculation.

Specify the blade, shaft and mowing position

State whether the scythe is intended for grass or tougher vegetation. Specify blade length, curvature, steel grade, heat treatment, edge profile and sharpening method. Agree shaft material, shaft shape, grip positions and blade mounting angle against an assembled sample. A blade that fits the clamp can still sit at the wrong angle for mowing.

Consumer product safety rules apply where consumer use is intended or reasonably foreseeable. For tools supplied for use at work, general workplace supply law applies where more specific product safety law does not apply. Agree assembly, tightening, sharpening and safe handling information, together with a blade guard and packing that restrains the blade.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order of 450 complete agricultural scythes under 8201 90 00 00, invoiced at £4,500 free on board, with £450 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £4,950. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £4,950, so it is £990. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Blade: compare curvature and edge profile with the approved sample, check hardness against the agreed specification, and trial cutting on the intended vegetation.

Mounting: assemble the supplied blade and shaft, check clamp seating and fastener engagement, and inspect for movement after a controlled cutting trial.

Shaft and grips: check wooden shafts for cracks, knots and cross grain; inspect metal shafts for bends and poor welds, and test grip security.

Packing: check that guards stay fitted, detached blades cannot move into carton walls, and assembly information matches the supplied fittings. Record defects through the inspection process.

What goes wrong

A soft edge rolls or dulls; a brittle edge chips. Incorrect blade curvature or mounting angle makes the tool drag rather than cut cleanly. Loose clamps let the blade rotate, while badly positioned grips make an otherwise sound scythe awkward to control.

Approve the assembled tool rather than the blade alone. Repeat the cutting and fixing checks on production samples. On arrival, inspect for bent tips, rust beneath guards, cracked wooden shafts and blades that have cut through their packaging.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.