Other

Fresh, dried or prepared cut flowers and flower buds

DGFT CLEARANCE

HSN 0603 19 00 (Other cut flowers and flower buds) is governed by the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), under which import is classified as Free but restricted to a single designated port of entry. Per DGFT Notification 17/2015-20 dated 09-07-2020, import is permitted exclusively through Chennai Airport.

What this is

HSN code

0603 19 00

Chapter

06 · Live trees and other plants; bulbs, roots and the like; cut flowers and ornamental foliage

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) Free import policy with designated-port restriction, Chapter 06

Customs documentation

Port-of-entry declaration to CBIC
Commercial invoice from exporter

Compliance steps

1
Route the consignment exclusively through Chennai Airport. Import of cut flowers under HSN 0603 19 00 is permitted only through this designated port; consignments arriving at any other airport or seaport are liable to detention and refusal of out-of-charge.
DGFT Notification 17/2015-20 dated 09-07-2020
2
Confirm the ITC (HS) policy status as Free at the bill-of-entry stage and ensure all cargo documentation correctly identifies the port of import as Chennai Airport. Misdeclaration of the entry point is treated as a Customs Act contravention.
DGFT Notification 17/2015-20 dated 09-07-2020 · ITC (HS) import policy, Chapter 06

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is booking freight to a more convenient airport — Mumbai, Delhi, or Bengaluru — on the assumption that a Free import policy means unrestricted entry point. The import policy is Free on tariff classification but geographically restricted by DGFT Notification 17/2015-20; a consignment cleared at any port other than Chennai Airport has no lawful basis of entry, exposing the importer to detention, demurrage, and re-export at the importer's cost.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0603 19 00 require BIS certification?

No, cut flowers and flower buds fall entirely outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed solely by the ITC (HS) policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, with the operative restriction being the Chennai Airport-only entry condition under DGFT Notification 17/2015-20.

Can cut flowers under this HSN be imported through Delhi or Mumbai international airports?

No. DGFT Notification 17/2015-20 dated 09-07-2020 designates Chennai Airport as the sole permitted port of import; arrival at any other airport renders the consignment liable to detention and re-export.

Does the Free import policy status remove all compliance obligations for this tariff line?

No. Free status means no import licence is required, but the designated-port restriction under DGFT Notification 17/2015-20 remains a binding condition; non-compliance with the port restriction constitutes a separate ITC (HS) policy violation regardless of licence status.

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