Aubergines (egg-plants)

Fresh or chilled aubergines (egg-plants, brinjal)

FSSAI CLEARANCE · PPQS CLEARANCE

HSN 0709 30 00 (Aubergines / egg-plants) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence requirements and a mandatory non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage (PPQS) phytosanitary clearance applies concurrently, and consignments must enter through the 79 designated food-import ports notified under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022.

What this is

HSN code

0709 30 00

Chapter

07 · Edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Phytosanitary Certificate from PPQS
Specimen copy of label from FSSAI

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

FSSAIFSSAI·Food Safety and Standards Authority of India

PPQSPPQS·Plant Quarantine and Phytosanitary regime

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

Compliance steps

1
Ensure the FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) are uploaded in e-Sanchit before the bill of entry is filed. The proper officer must verify both uploads before granting out-of-charge.
FSSAI order F.N. 1-1764/FSSAI/Imports/2018(Part1) dated 03-12-2020 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022
2
Obtain a non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate for each consignment dispatched from the exporting country on or after 1 March 2021. A non-GM attestation on the phytosanitary or health certificate is accepted provided it contains all information and declarations per the format issued vide FSSAI order dated 21-08-2021.
FSSAI order F.N. 1-1764/FSSAI/Imports/2018(Part1) dated 03-12-2020 · FSSAI order dated 21-08-2021
3
Route the consignment only through one of the 79 designated food-import ports per General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Labelling deficiencies permitted for port rectification must be corrected using a single non-detachable sticker affixed next to the principal display panel, verified by the authorised officer, in accordance with the rectifiable-labelling regime.
CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022 · FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022 under F.No.Import/TFM/Apex/2022-FSSAI

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating the FSSAI Import Licence as the sole pre-shipment obligation and neglecting the non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate, which is a separate mandatory document for every consignment dispatched on or after 1 March 2021. Where the certificate is absent or non-conformant with the FSSAI 21-08-2021 format, the consignment faces detention at the designated port; a deficient GM certificate is not a rectifiable labelling deficiency and cannot be cured at the port-side warehouse.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0709 30 00 require BIS certification?

No, fresh or chilled aubergines 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 concurrent PPQS phytosanitary clearance and the 79-designated-port restriction under General Note 4(D) of the ITC (HS) 2022.

Is the non-GM certificate required for every shipment, and can it be combined with the phytosanitary certificate?

Yes, the non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate is required for every consignment dispatched on or after 1 March 2021. A non-GM attestation on the phytosanitary or health certificate is accepted, provided it contains all information and declarations per the format issued vide FSSAI order dated 21-08-2021.

Which labelling deficiencies can be rectified at the port of import?

Per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus and FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022, permissible port rectifications include per-serve percentage RDA contribution and date-of-expiry information supplied by the manufacturer, corrected by a single non-detachable sticker affixed next to the principal display panel without altering the original label.

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