Subheading · Chapter 52 · Heading 5201
5201.00: Cotton, not carded or combed
Raw cotton (not carded or combed)
5201.00 is the HS subheading for raw cotton (not carded or combed), under heading 5201 in chapter 52.
What you pay
Importing into UK
Rates by national line · UK Global Tariff
UK lines →- 5201 00 10 00 Rendered absorbent or bleached Free
- 5201 00 90 00 Other Free
Additional duties and import rules
Charges on top of the customs duty, and rules the goods must meet at the border.
Import requirements 2
- Import controlRestriction on entry into free circulation
- Applies to goods from
- Ukraine
- Legal act
- S.I. 2022/395
- Documents
- 9009
- 9010
- 9017
- Import controlRestriction on entry into free circulation
- Applies to goods from
- North Korea
- Legal act
- S.I. 2019/411
- Documents
- Y084 Derogation from import prohibition by virtue of Article 16i (1) of Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1509
Preferential rates by country
| Agreement or scheme | Countries | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| standard rate (no agreement) | — | Free |
| DCTS Comprehensive | Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin and 38 moreAfghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo - Kinshasa, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Laos, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, São Tomé & Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia | Free |
| European Union (including code " EU") | Free | |
| DCTS Enhanced | Algeria, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Congo - Brazzaville and 13 moreAlgeria, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Congo - Brazzaville, Cook Islands, Kyrgyzstan, Micronesia, Mongolia, Nigeria, Niue, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu | Free |
| CARIFORUM | Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize and 10 moreAntigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago | Free |
| OCTs (Overseas Countries and Territories) | Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands and 7 moreAnguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands, St Helena, Turks & Caicos Islands | Free |
| Central America | Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama | Free |
| SADC EPA | Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia | Free |
| Eastern and Southern Africa States | Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Zimbabwe | Free |
| CPTPP | Brunei, Malaysia | Free |
| UK–Andorra agreement | Andorra | Free |
| UK–Albania agreement | Albania | Free |
| UK–Australia agreement | Australia | Free |
| UK–Canada agreement | Canada | Free |
| UK–Switzerland agreement | Switzerland | Free |
| UK–Côte d’Ivoire agreement | Côte d’Ivoire | Free |
| UK–Chile agreement | Chile | Free |
| UK–Cameroon agreement | Cameroon | Free |
| UK–Colombia agreement | Colombia | Free |
| UK–Ceuta & Melilla agreement | Ceuta & Melilla | Free |
| UK–Ecuador agreement | Ecuador | Free |
| UK–Egypt agreement | Egypt | Free |
| UK–Fiji agreement | Fiji | Free |
| UK–Faroe Islands agreement | Faroe Islands | Free |
| UK–Georgia agreement | Georgia | Free |
| UK–Ghana agreement | Ghana | Free |
| DCTS Standard | Indonesia | Free |
| UK–Israel agreement | Israel | Free |
| UK–India agreement | India | Free |
| UK–Iceland agreement | Iceland | Free |
| UK–Jordan agreement | Jordan | Free |
| UK–Japan agreement | Japan | Free |
| UK–Kenya agreement | Kenya | Free |
| UK–South Korea agreement | South Korea | Free |
| UK–Lebanon agreement | Lebanon | Free |
| UK–Liechtenstein agreement | Liechtenstein | Free |
| UK–Morocco agreement | Morocco | Free |
| UK–Moldova agreement | Moldova | Free |
| UK–North Macedonia agreement | North Macedonia | Free |
| UK–Mexico agreement | Mexico | Free |
| UK–Norway agreement | Norway | Free |
| UK–New Zealand agreement | New Zealand | Free |
| UK–Peru agreement | Peru | Free |
| UK–Papua New Guinea agreement | Papua New Guinea | Free |
| UK–Palestinian Territories agreement | Palestinian Territories | Free |
| UK–Serbia agreement | Serbia | Free |
| UK–Solomon Islands agreement | Solomon Islands | Free |
| UK–Singapore agreement | Singapore | Free |
| UK–San Marino agreement | San Marino | Free |
| UK–Tunisia agreement | Tunisia | Free |
| UK–Türkiye agreement | Türkiye | Free |
| UK–Ukraine agreement | Ukraine | Free |
| UK–Vietnam agreement | Vietnam | Free |
| UK–Samoa agreement | Samoa | Free |
| UK–Kosovo agreement | Kosovo | Free |
| UK–South Africa agreement | South Africa | Free |
UK: imports by month
Main suppliers, last 12 months
| Country | Value | Share | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
 Portugal | £193k | 30.3% | -40% |
 India | £104k | 16.3% | -41% |
 China | £93k | 14.7% | -84.6% |
 United States | £77k | 12.1% | -72% |
 Indonesia | £32k | 5.1% | — |
 Italy | £30k | 4.7% | -86.9% |
 Germany | £23k | 3.6% | -84.8% |
 Spain | £21k | 3.3% | +83.9% |
Same subheading in other tariffs
EU Free Third-country duty 2 tariff lines 
Türkiye Free Third-country duty 3 tariff lines USA Free General (MFN) 12 tariff lines · 9× specific or compound duty 
Canada Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Mexico Free Third-country duty 3 tariff lines 
Brazil 5.4% Third-country duty 3 tariff lines 
Argentina 5.4% Third-country duty 10 tariff lines 
Peru 6% Third-country duty 4 tariff lines 
New Zealand Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Japan Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Taiwan Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
GCC 5% Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Switzerland Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
Norway Free Third-country duty 1 tariff line 
North Macedonia Free Third-country duty 2 tariff lines 
Nigeria 5% Third-country duty 2 tariff lines World trade in 2024
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$648kUS$648k+US$13m+US$158m+> US$506m
Exports: 144
- Brazil: US$5bn
- United States: US$5bn
- Australia: US$2bn
- India: US$916m
- Benin: US$506m
- Türkiye: US$474m
- Greece: US$465m
- Burkina Faso: US$352m
- Côte d’Ivoire: US$283m
- Afghanistan: US$226m
- Azerbaijan: US$180m
- Argentina: US$160m
- Mali: US$159m
- Egypt: US$158m
- Kazakhstan: US$143m
- Sudan: US$94m
- Tanzania: US$84m
- Spain: US$54m
- Mexico: US$54m
- Tajikistan: US$53m
- Syria: US$52m
- Paraguay: US$49m
- China: US$46m
- Chad: US$36m
- Togo: US$33m
- South Africa: US$28m
- Israel: US$27m
- Zimbabwe: US$25m
- Cameroon: US$24m
- Kyrgyzstan: US$20m
- Pakistan: US$19m
- Zambia: US$16m
- Mozambique: US$15m
- Myanmar (Burma): US$13m
- Uganda: US$12m
- Turkmenistan: US$12m
- Malaysia: US$11m
- Nigeria: US$11m
- Senegal: US$10m
- Mauritania: US$10m
- Indonesia: US$8m
- Germany: US$6m
- Portugal: US$6m
- Japan: US$6m
- Italy: US$5m
- France: US$5m
- Madagascar: US$4m
- United Kingdom: US$4m
- Malawi: US$4m
- Peru: US$4m
- Uzbekistan: US$2m
- Belgium: US$2m
- South Korea: US$2m
- Ethiopia: US$2m
- Netherlands: US$2m
- Taiwan: US$2m
- Switzerland: US$1m
- Uruguay: US$1m
- Hungary: US$1m
- Poland: US$1m
Trade value (US$) no reported trade < US$218kUS$218k+US$6m+US$52m+> US$1bn
Imports: 193
- China: US$5bn
- Bangladesh: US$3bn
- Vietnam: US$2bn
- Pakistan: US$2bn
- Türkiye: US$1bn
- India: US$1bn
- Indonesia: US$774m
- Malaysia: US$319m
- Egypt: US$304m
- Mexico: US$227m
- Thailand: US$184m
- South Korea: US$133m
- Côte d’Ivoire: US$122m
- Guatemala: US$118m
- Peru: US$94m
- El Salvador: US$93m
- Japan: US$64m
- Greece: US$64m
- Portugal: US$58m
- Switzerland: US$52m
- Honduras: US$46m
- Italy: US$46m
- Taiwan: US$43m
- Germany: US$43m
- Singapore: US$40m
- Mauritius: US$36m
- France: US$36m
- Iran: US$35m
- Hong Kong SAR China: US$35m
- Costa Rica: US$34m
- Macao SAR China: US$31m
- Nicaragua: US$28m
- Lesotho: US$26m
- United Arab Emirates: US$22m
- Algeria: US$22m
- Turkmenistan: US$20m
- Netherlands: US$19m
- Poland: US$18m
- Bahrain: US$15m
- United States: US$15m
- Spain: US$14m
- Morocco: US$13m
- Russia: US$11m
- Colombia: US$10m
- Ecuador: US$8m
- Estonia: US$7m
- Israel: US$7m
- Philippines: US$6m
- Sweden: US$6m
- Moldova: US$6m
- Belgium: US$5m
- Benin: US$5m
- Djibouti: US$5m
- Bulgaria: US$5m
- South Africa: US$5m
- Tunisia: US$5m
- Brazil: US$5m
- Bosnia & Herzegovina: US$5m
- North Korea: US$4m
- Latvia: US$3m
Top exporters
| Rank | Country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brazil | US$5bn | 29.7% |
| 2 | United States | US$5bn | 28.5% |
| 3 |  Australia | US$2bn | 13.6% |
| 4 | India | US$916m | 5.3% |
| 5 |  Benin | US$506m | 2.9% |
| 6 | Türkiye | US$474m | 2.7% |
| 7 |  Greece | US$465m | 2.7% |
| 8 |  Burkina Faso | US$352m | 2% |
| 9 |  Côte d’Ivoire | US$283m | 1.6% |
| 10 |  Afghanistan | US$226m | 1.3% |
Import duty on this product around the world 165
The most-favoured-nation (MFN) duty each country applies to goods of this HS subheading: the average over its national tariff lines, with the lowest and highest line where they differ. Goods from countries with a trade agreement often pay less.
- 5%median duty
- 70number of duty-free countries (MFN)
- 45%highest: Bahamas, Montserrat, Yemen
165
| Importing country | MFN duty | lines from – to | data year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 2.5% | 2018 · HS 2012 | |
 Albania | 2% | 2023 | |
 Algeria | 5% | 2023 | |
 Angola | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Anguilla | 15% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Antigua & Barbuda | 5% | 2021 · HS 2007 | |
| Argentina | 6% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Armenia | 0% | 2023 | |
 Aruba | 12% | 2021 · HS 2012 | |
| Australia | 0% | 2023 | |
 Azerbaijan | 15% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Bahamas | 45% | 2022 | |
 Bahrain | 5% | 2023 | |
 Bangladesh | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Barbados | 5% | 2022 · HS 2017 | |
 Belarus | 0% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Belize | 5% | 2023 | |
| Benin | 5% | 2023 | |
 Bermuda | 6.5% | 2023 | |
 Bhutan | 10% | 2022 | |
 Bolivia | 10% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Bosnia & Herzegovina | 0% | 2022 | |
 Botswana | 7.5% | 0% – 15% | 2023 |
| Brazil | 6% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Brunei | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
| Burkina Faso | 5% | 2023 | |
 Burundi | 0% | 2023 | |
 Cambodia | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Cameroon | 10% | 2023 | |
| Canada | 0% | 2023 | |
 Cape Verde | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Cayman Islands | 12% | 2021 · HS 2002 | |
 Central African Republic | 10% | 2023 | |
 Chad | 10% | 2023 | |
 Chile | 6% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
| China | 14% | 0% – 40% | 2023 |
 Colombia | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Comoros | 20% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Congo - Brazzaville | 10% | 2023 | |
 Cook Islands | 0% | 2022 · HS 2017 | |
 Costa Rica | 0% | 2023 | |
| Côte d’Ivoire | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Cuba | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Dominica | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Dominican Republic | 0% | 2023 | |
 Ecuador | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Egypt | 0% | 2019 · HS 2017 | |
 El Salvador | 0% | 2022 | |
 Equatorial Guinea | 10% | 2023 | |
 Eswatini | 7.5% | 0% – 15% | 2023 |
 Ethiopia | 10% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
| European Union (27 countries) | 0% | 2023 | |
 Fiji | 0% | 2023 | |
 French Polynesia | 13% | 2023 | |
 Gabon | 10% | 2023 | |
 Gambia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Georgia | 0% | 2022 · HS 2017 | |
 Ghana | 5% | 2023 | |
 Gibraltar | 6% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Grenada | 5% | 2023 · HS 2012 | |
 Guatemala | 0% | 2023 | |
 Guinea | 5% | 2023 | |
 Guinea-Bissau | 5% | 2023 | |
 Guyana | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Haiti | 15% | 2020 · HS 2017 | |
 Honduras | 0% | 2023 | |
 Hong Kong SAR China | 0% | 2023 | |
 Iceland | 0% | 2023 | |
| India | 5% | 2023 | |
| Indonesia | 0% | 2023 | |
 Iran | 5% | 2020 · HS 2017 | |
 Israel | 0% | 2022 · HS 2017 | |
 Jamaica | 0% | 2023 | |
| Japan | 0% | 2023 | |
 Jordan | 0% | 2023 | |
 Kazakhstan | 0% | 2023 | |
 Kenya | 0% | 2023 | |
 Kiribati | 0% | 2023 · HS 2002 | |
 Kuwait | 5% | 2023 | |
 Kyrgyzstan | 0% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Laos | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Lebanon | 0% | 2020 · HS 2017 | |
 Lesotho | 7.5% | 0% – 15% | 2023 |
 Liberia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Libya | 5% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Liechtenstein | 0% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Macao SAR China | 0% | 2023 | |
 Madagascar | 5% | 2023 | |
 Malawi | 10% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Malaysia | 0% | 2023 | |
 Maldives | 0% | 2023 | |
 Mali | 5% | 2023 | |
 Mauritania | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Mauritius | 0% | 2023 | |
| Mexico | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Micronesia | 4% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Moldova | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Mongolia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Montserrat | 25% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Morocco | 2.5% | 2023 | |
 Mozambique | 2.5% | 2023 | |
 Myanmar (Burma) | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Namibia | 7.5% | 0% – 15% | 2023 |
 Nauru | 10% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Nepal | 5% | 2023 | |
| New Zealand | 0% | 2023 | |
 Nicaragua | 0% | 2023 | |
 Niger | 5% | 2023 | |
| Nigeria | 5% | 2023 | |
| North Macedonia | 0% | 2023 | |
| Norway | 0% | 2023 | |
 Oman | 5% | 2023 | |
 Pakistan | 0% | 2023 | |
 Palau | 3% | 2023 · HS 2012 | |
 Palestinian Territories | 0% | 2017 · HS 2017 | |
 Panama | 0% | 2023 | |
 Papua New Guinea | 0% | 2023 | |
 Paraguay | 6% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
| Peru | 6% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Philippines | 1% | 2023 | |
 Qatar | 5% | 2023 | |
 Russia | 0% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Rwanda | 0% | 2023 | |
 Samoa | 8% | 2020 · HS 2017 | |
 São Tomé & Príncipe | 10% | 2019 · HS 2017 | |
 Saudi Arabia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Senegal | 5% | 2023 | |
 Seychelles | 0% | 2023 | |
 Sierra Leone | 5% | 2023 | |
 Singapore | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Solomon Islands | 10% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Somalia | 5% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 South Africa | 7.5% | 0% – 15% | 2023 |
 South Korea | 0% | 2023 | |
 Sri Lanka | 0% | 2023 | |
 St Kitts & Nevis | 0% | 2023 | |
 St Lucia | 0% | 2023 · HS 2012 | |
 St Pierre & Miquelon | 5% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 St Vincent & the Grenadines | 5% | 2023 | |
 Sudan | 3% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Suriname | 5% | 2023 · HS 2007 | |
| Switzerland | 0% | 2023 | |
 Syria | 1% | 2020 · HS 2012 | |
 Tajikistan | 20% | 2021 · HS 2012 | |
 Tanzania | 0% | 2023 | |
 Thailand | 0% | 2023 | |
 Togo | 5% | 2023 | |
 Tonga | 15% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Trinidad & Tobago | 0% | 2023 · HS 2012 | |
| Türkiye | 0% | 2023 | |
 Tuvalu | 0% | 2017 · HS 2017 | |
 Uganda | 0% | 2023 | |
 Ukraine | 0% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 United Arab Emirates | 5% | 2023 | |
| United Kingdom | 0% | 2023 | |
| United States | 0% | 2023 | |
 Uruguay | 6% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Uzbekistan | 0% | 2021 · HS 2017 | |
 Vanuatu | 10% | 2023 | |
 Venezuela | 6% | 2023 · HS 2017 | |
 Vietnam | 0% | 2023 | |
 Wallis & Futuna | 6% | 2021 · HS 2012 | |
 Yemen | 25% | 2017 · HS 2017 | |
 Zambia | 5% | 2023 | |
 Zimbabwe | 0% | 0% – 0.1% | 2023 |
Tariff data years 2017–2023; rates may have changed since. · UNCTAD TRAINS, accessed via WITS (World Bank)
Classifications and correspondences
Where this HS subheading sits in the United Nations' statistical classifications, and which codes it had in earlier editions of the Harmonized System.
- SITC Rev. 4
- 2631 Cotton (other than linters), not carded/combed
- End use (BEC Rev. 5)
- Intermediate goods · BEC 4111
- CPC 2.1 product
- 01921 Cotton, whether or not ginned
- ISIC Rev. 4 activity
- 0116 Growing of fibre crops
Earlier HS editions
| HS | Code | |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 5201.00 | unchanged |
| 2012 | 5201.00 | unchanged |
| 2007 | 5201.00 | unchanged |
| 2002 | 5201.00 | unchanged |
| 1996 | 5201.00 | unchanged |
| 1992 | 5201.00 | unchanged |
Correspondence tables of the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD)
The UK Global Tariff divides subheading 5201.00 into 2 tariff lines; the duty is duty-free.
In the EU Combined Nomenclature, subheading 5201.00 covers 2 tariff lines and the duty is duty-free.
174 countries pay no duty in the UK thanks to trade agreements and preference schemes such as DCTS Comprehensive and European Union, against a standard rate of Free.
Imports of raw cotton (not carded or combed) into the UK came to £636.7k between September 2025 and August 2026 (down 78% on the year before); Portugal supplied 30%, followed by India.
In 2024, countries exported raw cotton (not carded or combed) worth US$17bn (+2.1% year on year).
The largest exporter was Brazil (US$5bn), followed by the United States.
Questions and answers
What is the HS code for cotton, not carded or combed?
Cotton, not carded or combed fall under HS subheading 5201.00, part of heading 5201, in section XI of the Harmonized System.
What is the import duty on cotton, not carded or combed in the UK?
Under the UK Global Tariff, imports under 5201.00 from countries without a preferential agreement are free of duty. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
What is the import duty on cotton, not carded or combed in the EU?
Under the EU Combined Nomenclature, imports under 5201.00 from countries without a preferential agreement are free of duty. Preferential rates, anti-dumping duties and VAT are not included.
Which country exports the most cotton, not carded or combed?
Brazil, with US$5bn in 2024 (29.7% of world exports).
Which countries can export raw cotton (not carded or combed) to the UK duty-free?
174 countries pay no duty under a trade agreement or preference scheme, among them partners under DCTS Comprehensive, European Union, DCTS Enhanced. The goods must meet the agreement’s rules of origin and the importer needs proof of origin; otherwise the standard rate of Free applies. Pick a country above to see its rate.
Where does the UK import raw cotton (not carded or combed) from?
In the 12 months to August 2026, the largest suppliers were Portugal (30%), India (16%) and China (15%), out of total imports of £636.7k.