Asparagus

Fresh or chilled asparagus, edible vegetable

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 0709 20 00 (Asparagus) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence and labelling compliance under the Food Safety and Standards (Import) Regulations, 2017 and the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020. Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) policy conditions under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022 restrict the ports through which food consignments may enter, and Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) oversight governs out-of-charge clearance.

What this is

HSN code

0709 20 00

Chapter

07 · Edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards (Import) Regulations, 2017

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Specimen copy of label from FSSAI
Food import entry-point declaration to CBIC

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

FSSAIFSSAI·Food Safety and Standards Authority of India

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.

Compliance steps

1
Obtain the FSSAI Import Licence and upload it in e-Sanchit under document code 911001 before filing the bill of entry. Also upload the Specimen Copy of Label under document code 0110FS. The proper officer will verify both documents prior to granting out-of-charge.
CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022 · FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022
2
Route the consignment only through food-import entry points designated under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Consignments arriving at non-designated ports are not eligible for out-of-charge and are subject to detention.
General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022
3
Where labelling deficiencies are identified, rectification is permitted at customs-bonded warehouses before visual inspection — by affixing a single non-detachable sticker next to the principal display panel without altering the original label. Permitted rectifiable particulars include per-serve percentage contribution to recommended dietary allowance and date of expiry alongside best-before date, the latter only where the manufacturer itself provides the information.
CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022, Para 2(i) · FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 · FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017, Reg. 6 · FSSAI orders dated 22-05-2018 and 14-01-2019

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating the rectifiable-labelling dispensation as a general correction window applicable before shipment. Rectification is permitted only at a customs-bonded warehouse, under authorised-officer supervision, and solely for the specific labelling particulars enumerated in CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus — any unlisted labelling deficiency renders the consignment non-compliant and subject to re-export or confiscation, not remediation at port.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0709 20 00 require BIS certification?

No, fresh asparagus falls outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers this product. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards (Import) Regulations, 2017, with designated food-import entry-point restrictions under General Note 4(D) of the ITC (HS) 2022.

Which documents must be uploaded in e-Sanchit at the bill of entry for asparagus imports?

The FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) are mandatory e-Sanchit uploads; out-of-charge will not be granted until both are verified by the proper officer.

Can labelling errors on an asparagus consignment be corrected after arrival in India?

Yes, but only for the specific particulars listed in CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus — such as per-serve dietary allowance contribution and, where manufacturer-certified, date of expiry alongside best-before date — and rectification must occur at a customs-bonded warehouse by non-detachable sticker before the authorised officer's inspection.

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