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Flours, meals and pellets of aquatic invertebrates for human consumption

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 0309 90 29 (flours, meals and pellets of fish and other aquatic invertebrates 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 permitted only through 79 designated food-import ports with effect from 1 March 2023.

What this is
HSN code
0309 90 29
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 that the foreign manufacturing facility is registered with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the mandatory high-risk-food registration regime covering fish and fish products. The FSSAI Import Licence must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before the bill of entry is filed; consignments from unregistered facilities will not be permitted clearance.
    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), uploaded by AQCS in e-Sanchit, and quote the corresponding IRN on the bill of entry to obtain the AQCS NOC. The consignment is listed under Annexure A (Sl. No. 3) of CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus and the IRN-quoting requirement applies at every bill of entry.
    CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022 under F.No.Import/TFM/Apex/2022-FSSAI
  3. 3
    Route the consignment exclusively through one of the 79 designated food-import ports notified under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Ensure the specimen copy of label satisfies the rectifiable-labelling regime before out-of-charge; non-rectifiable deficiencies are treated as a substantive FSSAI non-compliance.
    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 the FSSAI Import Licence as the sole clearance requirement and filing the bill of entry at a non-designated port or without the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit IRN. The AQCS NOC is a separate, independent clearance — a consignment arriving with a valid FSSAI licence but without the 911DF1 IRN quoted on the bill of entry will be detained pending AQCS resolution, accruing demurrage and ground rent at the designated port.

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Frequently asked
Does HSN 0309 90 29 require BIS certification?
No, flours, meals and pellets of aquatic invertebrates fit for human consumption 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 AQCS Sanitary Import Permit requirement and a 79-designated-port restriction.
Which ports are designated for import of this product and from what date?
Import of high-risk fish products including this tariff line is permitted only through the 79 designated food-import ports listed in the Annexure to CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus, with effect from 1 March 2023, per General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022.
Is foreign-manufacturer registration with FSSAI mandatory even for small-volume shipments?
Yes. Per CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus and the FSSAI order dated 10 October 2022, registration of the foreign manufacturing facility with FSSAI is mandatory for all fish and fish-product imports and no volume-based exemption is provided in the CCR for this tariff line.
Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: FSSAI / AQCS / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.
Related
ChapterChapter 03 · Fish and crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebratesHSNFLOURS, MEALS AND PELLETS OF FISH, CRUSTACEANS, MOLLUSCS AND OTHER AQUATIC INVERTEBRATES, FIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTIONHSNOther: