Vannamei shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

Vannamei shrimp flours, meals and pellets for human consumption

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 0309 90 11 (Vannamei shrimp flours, meals and pellets fit for human consumption) 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 concurrently, and consignments are restricted to 79 designated food-import ports under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022.

What this is

HSN code

0309 90 11

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
Confirm the foreign manufacturing facility is registered with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the high-risk-food regime before dispatch. Imports of fish and crustacean products from unregistered facilities are not permitted; the FSSAI Import Licence must be uploaded in e-Sanchit at the bill of entry.
CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus dated 14-11-2022 · FSSAI order dated 10-10-2022
2
Obtain the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit (document code 911DF1) prior to consignment dispatch, and quote the e-Sanchit IRN for that permit on the bill of entry to obtain the AQCS NOC. The consignment CTI must appear 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
Route the consignment exclusively through one of the 79 designated food-import ports in force from 01-03-2023, and ensure label compliance with the FSSAI rectifiable-labelling regime before out-of-charge. Non-designated port routing results in consignment detention.
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 · General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of ITC (HS) 2022

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is presenting a current FSSAI Import Licence at the bill of entry while the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit IRN has not been uploaded in e-Sanchit — these are independent clearances and customs officers verify both before granting out-of-charge. A missing or incorrectly quoted IRN for document code 911DF1 causes consignment detention at the designated port, with demurrage and ground rent accruing until the AQCS NOC is regularised. Neither the FSSAI rectifiable-labelling dispensation nor any other food-safety remedy cures an absent AQCS clearance.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0309 90 11 require BIS certification?

No, vannamei shrimp flours, meals and pellets are 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 requirement and the 79-designated-port restriction operative from 1 March 2023.

Is the foreign-manufacturer registration with FSSAI mandatory for this product?

Yes. Per CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus and the FSSAI order dated 10 October 2022, fish and crustacean product manufacturing facilities exporting to India must be registered with FSSAI before import is permitted; consignments from unregistered facilities are liable to refusal of out-of-charge.

What happens if the consignment arrives at a port not on the 79-designated-port list?

Consignments arriving at a non-designated port breach General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022 and are liable to detention; CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus dated 08-02-2023 clarified that high-risk food imports — including fish and crustacean products — are permitted only through the notified Annexure ports with effect from 1 March 2023.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: FSSAI / AQCS / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.