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Of molluscs, frozen

Frozen mollusc flours, meals and pellets for human consumption

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 0309 90 60 (Of molluscs, frozen) 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, as a high-risk fish and aquatic-product category. Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS) Sanitary Import Permit clearance applies concurrently, and consignments are restricted to 79 designated food-import ports with effect from 1 March 2023.

What this is
HSN code
0309 90 60
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 mandatory high-risk-food registration scheme before shipment. The FSSAI Import Licence must be uploaded in e-Sanchit at the bill of entry; consignments from unregistered facilities will not be granted 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) prior to dispatch and quote its e-Sanchit IRN on the bill of entry to secure the AQCS NOC for this CTI, listed in Annexure A (Sl. No. 3) of CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus. The Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) must also be uploaded before out-of-charge.
    CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023
  3. 3
    Route the consignment exclusively through one of the 79 designated food-import ports listed in the CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus Annexure. Verify label compliance against the rectifiable-labelling regime prior to filing; non-rectifiable defects at a non-designated port result in consignment detention.
    CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus dated 08-02-2023 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022 · General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of ITC (HS) 2022
A word of counsel

The most frequent error on this tariff line is arriving at a non-designated port with an otherwise complete FSSAI Import Licence, triggering mandatory detention pending re-routing — an outcome that carries substantial demurrage and ground rent. The AQCS Sanitary Import Permit is a separate, independent clearance from the FSSAI food-safety licence; a valid FSSAI Licence does not satisfy the AQCS NOC requirement, and customs will not issue out-of-charge until the 911DF1 IRN is quoted on the bill of entry.

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Frequently asked
Does HSN 0309 90 60 require BIS certification?
No, frozen mollusc flours, meals and pellets fall outside 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 a 79-designated-port restriction.
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 aquatic-product manufacturing facilities exporting to India must be registered with FSSAI; imports from unregistered facilities are not permitted at the bill-of-entry stage.
What happens if a labelling defect is discovered at the port of import?
FSSAI's rectifiable-labelling regime, set out in FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022 and CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022, permits correction of specified labelling deficiencies at the port; however, a missing AQCS NOC or absent FSSAI Import Licence is not a rectifiable defect and results in consignment detention.
Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: FSSAI / AQCS / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.
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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: