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Cod (Gadus morhua, Gadus ogac, Gadus macrocephalus)

Fresh or chilled cod (Gadus morhua, Gadus ogac, Gadus macrocephalus)

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 0302 51 00 (Cod) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence and mandatory foreign-manufacturer registration under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS) Sanitary Import Permit clearance applies as a concurrent overlay, and consignments are permitted only through 79 designated food-import ports effective 1 March 2023.

What this is
HSN code
0302 51 00
Chapter
03 · Fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates
Primary regulator
FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (high-risk food regime)
Customs documentation
  • Import Licence from FSSAI
  • Sanitary Import Permit from AQCS
  • Health Certificate from AQCS
Applicable Partner Government Agencies
FSSAIFSSAI·Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
AQCSAQCS·Animal Quarantine and Certification Services

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.

Compliance steps
  1. 1
    Confirm the foreign manufacturing facility is registered with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the high-risk-food regime before shipment. The FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) must be uploaded in e-Sanchit at the bill of entry; consignments from unregistered facilities will not receive out-of-charge.
    CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus dated 14-11-2022 · FSSAI order dated 10-10-2022
  2. 2
    Obtain the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit (document code 911DF1) and Health Certificate (document code 6360AQ) prior to dispatch. Quote the e-Sanchit IRN of the Sanitary Import Permit on the bill of entry to obtain the AQCS NOC for CTIs listed in Annexure A (Sl. No. 3) of CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus.
    CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023
  3. 3
    Route the consignment only through one of the 79 designated food-import ports under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022, and upload the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS). Label defects that are rectifiable under FSSAI Letter No. 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022 must be addressed before out-of-charge is granted.
    CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus dated 08-02-2023 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022 · FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022
A word of counsel

The most frequent error on this tariff line is treating FSSAI clearance and AQCS clearance as interchangeable or sequential rather than concurrent independent requirements. A consignment bearing a current FSSAI Import Licence but lacking the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit IRN in e-Sanchit will be detained at the designated port — demurrage accrues from the date of arrival, and the AQCS NOC cannot be retrospectively backdated. Verify both PGA document codes are uploaded before the vessel berths.

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Frequently asked
Does HSN 0302 51 00 require BIS certification?
No, fresh or chilled cod is not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with a concurrent Animal Quarantine and Certification Services Sanitary Import Permit and the 79-designated-port restriction operative from 1 March 2023.
Which ports are designated for importing fresh cod under this tariff line?
Import is permitted only through the 79 designated food-import ports listed in the Annexure to CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus dated 08-02-2023, pursuant to General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022; consignments arriving at non-designated ports are liable to detention and re-export.
Is foreign-manufacturer registration with FSSAI mandatory even for established exporters?
Yes. Per CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus and the FSSAI order dated 10-10-2022, every foreign manufacturing facility exporting fish products to India — regardless of prior trade history — must appear on the FSSAI registered-facility list before import is permitted.
Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: FSSAI / AQCS / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.
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