HS CODE 9603.10.00– Brooms and Brushes of Twigs or Vegetable Material Natural Fibre Cleaning Tools — EAC Customs & Trade Guide Kenya | Uganda | Tanzania | Rwanda | Burundi | DRC | Somalia
1. HS Code Overview
HS Code 9603.10.00 covers brooms and brushes consisting of twigs or other vegetable materials, whether or not bound together, with or without handles. This classification covers traditional brooms made from plant-based materials such as sorghum, coconut fibre (coir), straw, broomcorn, grass, and similar natural materials. It is one of the oldest traded goods classifications and reflects a product that has been in use across Africa for millennia.
| Level | Code | Description |
| Chapter | 96 | Miscellaneous Manufactured Articles |
| Heading | 9603 | Brooms, brushes, hand-operated mechanical floor sweepers, mops and feather dusters; prepared knots and tufts for broom or brush making; paint pads and rollers; squeegees |
| Subheading | 9603.10 | Brooms and brushes, consisting of twigs or other vegetable materials, bound together, with or without handles |
| Tariff Line | 9603.10.00 | Single EAC tariff line |
2. Related HS Codes
| HS Code | Description | Distinction |
| 9603.10.00 | Brooms/brushes of twigs or vegetable material | This code — natural plant fibre brooms |
| 9603.21.00 | Toothbrushes — electric | Oral care — entirely different product category |
| 9603.29.00 | Other toothbrushes and shaving brushes | Personal grooming brushes |
| 9603.40.00 | Paint brushes, distemper brushes | Application brushes — synthetic or natural fibre |
| 9603.50.00 | Other brushes (non-household) | Industrial and technical brushes |
| 9603.90.00 | Other — mops, feather dusters, etc. | Cleaning tools not made of twigs |
| 1212.99 | Vegetable products for plaiting | Raw plant material before manufacture |
| 5007.20 | Woven fabrics of silk — for brooms | Raw fibre, not finished brush |
3. EAC Customs Treatment
| EAC Partner State | Import Duty | VAT | Notes |
| Kenya | 25% | 16% | Strong local production — imports mainly specialized types |
| Uganda | 25% | 18% | Traditional brooms widely made locally — imported synthetics compete |
| Tanzania | 25% | 18% | Coastal coconut coir broom production is a local industry |
| Rwanda | 25% | 18% | Government promotes local craftwork — import duty protects local makers |
| Burundi | 25% | 18% | Traditional broom-making a significant informal sector |
| DRC | 25% | 16% | Large domestic production — imports from Kenya and Uganda |
| Somalia | Varies | Varies | Date palm and grass brooms widely produced locally |
4. EAC Production and Trade Context
4.1 Traditional and Artisanal Production
The EAC has a rich tradition of broom and brush making from local plant materials. In Kenya, sorghum stalk brooms are made in Western Kenya and Rift Valley regions. In Tanzania, coconut palm leaf-rib brooms and coir brooms are produced along the Swahili coast. In Uganda, elephant grass brooms are common in central and northern regions. Rwanda actively promotes traditional craftwork including broom-making as part of its cooperative enterprise programs.
4.2 Commercial Imports
Despite strong local production, commercial-grade brooms made from broomcorn (sorghum) and treated sisal/coir are imported into the EAC market, primarily from India, South Africa, and China. These compete with local products on quality consistency and durability. Hotel and institutional buyers (hospitals, schools, government buildings) often prefer imported commercial brooms for their standardized quality.
4.3 Environmental and Sustainability Angle
Natural fibre brooms under 9603.10.00 are receiving renewed attention in the EAC as sustainable alternatives to synthetic plastic brooms. Several EAC governments are promoting natural fibre products as part of plastic reduction initiatives following the East African Community Framework on Plastics Management. Rwanda, in particular — which has one of the strictest plastic bag bans in the world — actively encourages traditional broom use.
5. Classification Notes
- Brooms that combine vegetable twig material with a plastic or metal handle still classify under 9603.10.00 — the handle material does not change the classification
- Synthetic fibre brooms (nylon, polypropylene bristles) do NOT classify here — they go under 9603.90.00 (other brushes)
- Broom raw materials (unprocessed sorghum stalks, coconut fibre) classify separately under agricultural/vegetable product headings
- Feather dusters, while cleaning tools, classify under 9603.90.00, not 9603.10.00
Prepared for EAC Customs, Heritage Officers & Trade Practitioners | February 2026