Product classification
HS code for Sickles: 8201.90
Tools, hand, forks, scythes, sickles, hay knives, timber wedges, and other hand tools of a kind used in agriculture, horticulture or forestry n.e.c. in heading 8201.
Classification of sickles under HS 8201.90
Sickles are classified under HS code 8201.90, which is a residual category for various hand tools used in agriculture, horticulture, or forestry. This code is part of Chapter 82, covering base metal tools. Heading 8201 includes specific subheadings for spades (8201.10), mattocks (8201.30), and axes (8201.40). However, sickles, scythes, and hay knives do not have their own specific 6-digit subheadings in many versions of the Harmonized System and are thus grouped under 8201.90. A sickle is defined as a hand-held agricultural tool with a variously curved blade typically used for harvesting grain crops or cutting succulent forage for feeding livestock. The classification is determined by the tool's manual nature and its intended use in the agricultural sector. The blade must be made of base metal to fall under this heading. The handle may be wood, plastic, or metal, but the tool's essential character is derived from the curved cutting edge. This classification follows GRI 1, as the tool is specifically named in the explanatory notes for heading 8201 as an "other" hand tool of a kind used in agriculture.
- Covers
- Hand sickles
- Scythes
- Hay knives
- Grass shears (hand-operated)
- Timber wedges
- Forks (agricultural hand tools)
- Also under 8201.90
- Spear & Jackson Digging Fork
- Truper Manure Fork
- Seymour Midwest Scythe
- Corona Sickle
- Council Tool Timber Wedge
- Bulldog Premier Border Fork
Codes often confused with 8201.90
Common mistake. Sickles are sometimes misclassified under HS code 8201.40, which is specifically for axes, bill hooks, and similar hewing tools. While a bill hook is similar to a sickle, it is generally heavier and used for woody vegetation. Another error is using HS code 8208.40, which applies to knives and cutting blades for machines used in agriculture; 8201.90 is strictly for hand-held tools. Additionally, decorative or ceremonial sickles not intended for use might be classified under 9705 as collectors' items.
Top exporters and importers of HS 820190 (the code used for sickles), 2025
In 2025, the largest exporter of HS 820190 (the code used for sickles) in UN Comtrade data was China, with 34% of world exports; the largest importer in UN Comtrade data was the United States, with 21% of world imports. Countries that did not report 2025 data are estimated from partner records, which can understate them.
Figures cover everything classified under HS 820190, not only sickles.
Top exporters 2025 · share of world exports
- 1 China $166M 34% of world exports
- 2 Germany $42M 8.6% of world exports
- 3 Vietnam* ~$27M 5.5% of world exports · partner records ↗
World total: $491M Reported figures on UN Comtrade ↗
Top importers 2025 · share of world imports
- 1 United States $93M 21% of world imports
- 2 Germany $47M 10% of world imports
- 3 United Kingdom $34M 7.4% of world imports
World total: $452M Reported figures on UN Comtrade ↗
How these figures are built
109 countries reported 2025 trade to UN Comtrade in HS 2022, and their own totals are used. Countries marked * did not, so their figures add up what other countries recorded trading with them, and their exports are valued at buyers' CIF prices. Those estimates miss trade with other non-reporting countries, so they can be low, and a non-reporting country can rank higher than shown or be missing from the list. World totals add both and leave out trade between two non-reporting countries. Figures are in current US dollars; reported imports are mostly valued CIF and exports FOB, and exports include re-exports. The UN Comtrade links show the underlying records; they can also list a few reporters left out here (regional groups and older HS editions).
Source: UN Comtrade (United Nations Statistics Division), 2025 annual data.
Brazil NCM code for sickles
Brazil classifies sickles under NCM 8201.90.00: HS 8201.90 with 00 added.
Source: Siscomex NCM table, updated Oct 2026. The Portuguese text on each NCM page is the official one.
Questions about sickles
What is the HS code for Sickles?
The HS code for Sickles is 820190 (Tools, hand; forks, scythes, sickles, hay knives, timber wedges, and other hand tools of a kind used in agriculture, horticulture or forestry n.e.c. in heading 8201). The HS code for hand-operated sickles used in agriculture is 8201.90.
How do I classify Sickles for customs?
Sickles is classified under HS code 820190 — Tools, hand; forks, scythes, sickles, hay knives, timber wedges, and other hand tools of a kind used in agriculture, horticulture or forestry n.e.c. in heading 8201. This is a 6-digit subheading level code.
Is a scythe classified under the same code as a sickle?
Yes, both scythes and sickles are classified under HS code 8201.90 as they are both agricultural hand tools not specified in other subheadings of 8201.
Which countries are the top exporters of sickles (HS 820190)?
In 2025, the top exporters of HS 820190 (the code used for sickles) in UN Comtrade data were China ($166M, 34% of world exports), Germany ($42M) and Vietnam (about $27M). World exports came to about $491M, adding countries' reported figures and partner-based estimates for those that did not report (UN Comtrade data). Countries that did not report 2025 data are estimated from partner records, which can understate them.
Which countries are the top importers of sickles (HS 820190)?
In 2025, the top importers of HS 820190 (the code used for sickles) in UN Comtrade data were the United States ($93M, 21% of world imports), Germany ($47M) and the United Kingdom ($34M). World imports came to about $452M, adding countries' reported figures and partner-based estimates for those that did not report (UN Comtrade data). Countries that did not report 2025 data are estimated from partner records, which can understate them.
Is the HS code for Sickles the same in all countries?
The base HS code 820190 for Sickles is internationally standardized for the first 6 digits across 200+ countries. Individual countries may add additional digits for national tariff lines and specific classifications.
What is the NCM code for sickles in Brazil?
In Brazil, sickles (HS 820190) is classified under NCM 8201.90.00.