Snake gourd

Fresh or chilled snake gourd (Cucurbita spp.)

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 0709 93 50 (Snake gourd) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence and labelling compliance under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Consignments must be routed through designated food-import entry points under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022, with the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) applying concurrent policy overlays at the bill of entry.

What this is

HSN code

0709 93 50

Chapter

07 · Edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Specimen copy of label from FSSAI
Entry-point compliance from 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 a current FSSAI Import Licence before shipment and ensure it is uploaded in e-Sanchit under document code 911001. Additionally, upload the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) prior to filing the bill of entry; customs out-of-charge will not be granted until both documents are verified in e-Sanchit.
FSSAI Import Licence document code 911001 · Specimen Copy of Label document code 0110FS · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023
2
Route the consignment through a designated food-import entry point as mandated under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Diversion to a non-designated port renders the consignment liable to detention pending re-routing or re-export.
General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022 · CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus dated 08-02-2023
3
Ensure labelling complies with the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020. Rectifiable labelling deficiencies — including per-serve percentage contribution to recommended dietary allowance and date-of-expiry information — may be corrected at customs bonded warehouses by affixing a single non-detachable sticker next to the principal display panel, provided the manufacturer's authorisation is confirmed by the FSSAI authorised officer.
CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022 · FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022 · FSSAI clarification order dated 18-11-2022

A word of counsel

The most frequent error on this tariff line is relying on the rectifiable-labelling dispensation as a safety net rather than ensuring label compliance before dispatch. Rectification is permitted only at customs bonded warehouses before visual inspection by the authorised FSSAI officer, and only for the specific parameters enumerated in CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus — it does not extend to a missing FSSAI Import Licence or to a non-designated port of entry, either of which will result in consignment detention and potential ground rent liability.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0709 93 50 require BIS certification?

No, fresh snake gourd is 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 designated food-import entry-point restrictions and FSSAI Import Licence and labelling requirements applying at the bill of entry.

Are both the FSSAI Import Licence and the Specimen Copy of Label mandatory documents at the bill of entry?

Yes. Both document code 911001 (FSSAI Import Licence) and document code 0110FS (Specimen Copy of Label) must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before customs out-of-charge is granted, per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023.

Which labelling deficiencies can be rectified at the port, and which cannot?

Rectification at customs bonded warehouses is permitted for per-serve percentage contribution to recommended dietary allowance and date-of-expiry information, per CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus and the FSSAI clarification order dated 18-11-2022; a missing FSSAI Import Licence or arrival at a non-designated port cannot be remedied through the labelling dispensation.

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