Other

Fresh or chilled pumpkins, squash and gourds (Cucurbita spp.)

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 0709 93 90 (fresh or chilled pumpkins, squash and gourds, other) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence requirements under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017. Consignments must enter through designated food-import entry points per General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022, with Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) rectifiable-labelling rules applying at the port.

What this is

HSN code

0709 93 90

Chapter

07 · Edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and FSS (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 a valid 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 are present in e-Sanchit before 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 under F.No.Import/TFM/Apex/2022-FSSAI
2
Route the consignment exclusively through a designated food-import entry point in compliance with General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Entry through a non-designated port renders the consignment liable to detention and re-export.
General Note 4(D) of Schedule I, ITC (HS) 2022 · CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus dated 08-02-2023
3
Where label information required under the FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 — such as per-serve percentage contribution to recommended dietary allowance or date of expiry alongside best-before date — is deficient, arrange rectification at a customs bonded warehouse before inspection. Rectification must be by a single non-detachable sticker affixed next to the principal display panel without altering the original label.
CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022 · FSSAI clarification order dated 18-11-2022 · FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is confusing the rectifiable-labelling dispensation with a general licence to import non-compliant labels. The dispensation under Regulation 6 of the FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017 and the CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus regime applies only to the specifically listed deficiencies — per-serve RDA contribution and expiry/best-before date — and only where the manufacturer itself provides the corrected information; all other labelling non-conformances remain grounds for detention or rejection, irrespective of whether the FSSAI Import Licence is current.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0709 93 90 require BIS certification?

No, fresh or chilled pumpkins, squash and gourds 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 the FSSAI Import Licence and designated-port entry requirements as the operative clearance conditions.

Which document codes must be uploaded in e-Sanchit for this tariff line?

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

Can labelling deficiencies be rectified at the port for this product?

Yes, but only for the specific items listed under CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus and the FSSAI clarification order dated 18-11-2022 — per-serve RDA contribution and expiry/best-before date information — provided the correction is made by the manufacturer at a customs bonded warehouse using a single non-detachable sticker before inspection.

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