Water melons

Fresh watermelons, whole edible melons

FSSAI CLEARANCE · PPQS CLEARANCE

HSN 0807 11 00 (Water melons) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence and a non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate requirement under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage (PPQS) Phytosanitary Certificate clearance applies as a concurrent overlay, and consignments must comply with General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022 restricting import to designated food-import entry points.

What this is

HSN code

0807 11 00

Chapter

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

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
Obtain the FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and ensure the consignment is accompanied by a non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate for all consignments dispatched from the exporting country on or after 1 March 2021. A non-GM attestation on the Phytosanitary Certificate is accepted provided it contains all information specified in the FSSAI order dated 21-08-2021.
FSSAI order F.No. 1-1764/FSSAI/Imports/2018(Part1) dated 03-12-2020 · FSSAI order dated 21-08-2021
2
Upload the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS), Phytosanitary Certificate (document code 851000), and FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry. The proper officer must verify all three documents are present before granting out-of-charge.
CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023
3
Route the consignment only through a designated food-import entry point compliant with General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Labelling deficiencies permissible for port rectification under FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 may be corrected by affixing a single non-detachable sticker at the customs bonded warehouse before inspection, without altering original label information.
General Note 4(D), ITC (HS) Schedule I, 2022 · FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is presenting a Phytosanitary Certificate that lacks a non-GM origin cum GM-free attestation — treating PPQS phytosanitary clearance and the FSSAI GM-free declaration as two independent processes and allowing the latter to be arranged after shipment. For consignments dispatched on or after 1 March 2021, the GM-free declaration must be on the certificate at origin; a post-dispatch amendment or a separate letter does not substitute, and the consignment will be detained pending a compliant certificate.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0807 11 00 require BIS certification?

No, fresh watermelons fall outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers fresh fruit. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with concurrent Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage Phytosanitary Certificate clearance and the designated food-import entry point restriction.

Is the non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate required for every watermelon consignment?

Yes, for all consignments dispatched from the exporting country on or after 1 March 2021. A standalone certificate or a GM-free attestation incorporated into the Phytosanitary Certificate are both accepted, provided the attestation contains all information specified in the FSSAI order dated 21-08-2021.

Can labelling deficiencies be corrected at the port of import?

Yes, but only for the specific categories of labelling information listed under FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 as clarified by CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023; rectification must be done at the customs bonded warehouse by affixing a single non-detachable sticker before inspection, and a missing FSSAI Import Licence or PPQS clearance cannot be rectified under this dispensation.

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