Hard (chhohara or kharek)

Dried hard dates (chhohara, kharek)

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 0804 10 30 (Hard dates — chhohara or kharek) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence and labelling compliance under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, including the FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017 and FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020. Consignments must enter only through designated food-import ports under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022, with Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) policy and Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) customs overlay applying as additional clearance requirements.

What this is

HSN code

0804 10 30

Chapter

08 · Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruit or melons

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (FSS Import Regulations, 2017)

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Phytosanitary Certificate from exporter
Specimen copy of label from importer

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 and ensure it is uploaded in e-Sanchit under document code 911001 before the bill of entry is filed. Also upload the Phytosanitary Certificate (document code 851000) and the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS); out-of-charge will not be granted until all three documents are verified in e-Sanchit.
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
2
Route the consignment exclusively through a designated food-import entry point as mandated under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Arrival at a non-designated port renders the consignment liable to detention pending re-routing or re-export.
General Note 4(D) of Schedule I, ITC (HS) 2022 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022
3
Ensure all labelling complies with the FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 prior to shipment. Rectifiable labelling deficiencies — including per-serve percentage contribution to recommended dietary allowance and date of expiry alongside best-before date — may be corrected at customs bonded warehouses by affixing a single non-detachable sticker, provided the correction is made by the manufacturer and verified by the authorised officer before visual inspection.
FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022 · FSSAI clarification order dated 18-11-2022

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating a labelling deficiency as automatically rectifiable at port, without distinguishing between deficiencies covered by the special dispensation under Regulation 6 of the FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017 and those permitted under the 2020 Labelling Regulations. A sticker correction is valid only when affixed at a customs bonded warehouse before visual inspection, using a non-detachable method that does not alter the original label; consignments where the original label is obscured or where corrections are attempted after re-inspection are liable to rejection and re-export.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0804 10 30 require BIS certification?

No, dried hard dates (chhohara or kharek) are 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 FSSAI Import Licence, Phytosanitary Certificate, and designated food-import port compliance as the operative requirements.

Which e-Sanchit document codes are mandatory for this tariff line at the bill of entry?

Three documents must be uploaded: FSSAI Import Licence (code 911001), Phytosanitary Certificate (code 851000), and Specimen Copy of Label (code 0110FS); customs out-of-charge is withheld until all three are verified, per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023.

Can a labelling deficiency on the imported consignment be rectified after customs inspection?

No. Rectification is permitted only at customs bonded warehouses before visual inspection or re-inspection by the authorised officer, by affixing a single non-detachable sticker next to the principal display panel without altering the original label, per the FSSAI clarification order dated 18-11-2022 and CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs.

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