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Flours, meals and pellets of aquatic invertebrates for human consumption

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 0309 90 90 (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 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 90
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. Fish and aquatic-invertebrate product imports from unregistered facilities are not permitted at the bill-of-entry stage.
    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 the corresponding e-Sanchit IRN on the bill of entry to obtain the AQCS NOC. The consignment must arrive through one of the 79 designated food-import ports operative from 01-03-2023.
    CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus dated 08-02-2023 · General Note 4(D), Schedule I, ITC (HS) 2022
  3. 3
    Ensure the consignment label complies with FSSAI labelling requirements before out-of-charge. Rectifiable labelling defects may be addressed per the FSSAI rectifiable-labelling regime, but missing PGA clearances — FSSAI Import Licence or AQCS Sanitary Import Permit — are not rectifiable and will result in consignment detention.
    FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022 · FSSAI clarification order dated 18-11-2022
A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is assuming that a current FSSAI Import Licence is sufficient for customs out-of-charge. The AQCS Sanitary Import Permit is an independent, concurrent PGA clearance applicable to fish and aquatic-invertebrate products; its e-Sanchit IRN (document code 911DF1) must be quoted at the bill of entry separately. A consignment arriving at a non-designated port — even with both clearances in order — will be detained, as the 79-port restriction admits no waiver at the customs counter.

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Frequently asked
Does HSN 0309 90 90 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 Animal Quarantine and Certification Services Sanitary Import Permit requirement and a 79-designated-port restriction.
Which document code must be quoted in e-Sanchit for the AQCS clearance on this tariff line?
The Sanitary Import Permit issued by AQCS carries document code 911DF1; the importer must quote the IRN generated in e-Sanchit for this permit to obtain the AQCS NOC, as confirmed in CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023.
Is the foreign-manufacturer registration with FSSAI mandatory for fish-product flours and meals under this HSN?
Yes. Per CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus and the FSSAI order dated 10-10-2022, the overseas facility manufacturing fish and aquatic-invertebrate products destined for India must be registered with FSSAI before the import is permitted.
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: