Plums and sloes

Fresh plums and sloes, edible stone fruit

FSSAI CLEARANCE · PPQS CLEARANCE

HSN 0809 40 00 (Plums and sloes) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence requirements under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, including a mandatory non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate for consignments dispatched from the exporting country on or after 1 March 2021. Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage (PPQS) phytosanitary clearance applies concurrently, and import is permitted only through designated food-import entry points under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022.

What this is

HSN code

0809 40 00

Chapter

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

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (high-risk food, non-GM regime)

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 an FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and ensure the foreign consignment is accompanied by a non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate for all dispatches on or after 1 March 2021. A non-GM attestation on the phytosanitary or health certificate is also accepted provided it contains all declarations specified in the FSSAI order dated 21-08-2021. Both documents must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before the bill of entry is filed.
FSSAI order dated 03-12-2020 (F.No. 1-1764/FSSAI/Imports/2018(Part1)) · FSSAI order dated 21-08-2021
2
Upload the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) in e-Sanchit at the bill of entry stage. Labelling deficiencies permissible for port rectification — including per-serve RDA contributions and expiry date additions — must be rectified by affixing a single non-detachable sticker next to the principal display panel at a customs bonded warehouse before inspection by the authorised officer.
FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus 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 in compliance with General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Confirm the port of discharge appears on the current CBIC-notified list of 79 designated ports before vessel departure; diversion to a non-designated port results in consignment detention.
General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022 · CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus dated 08-02-2023

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating the PPQS phytosanitary clearance and the FSSAI non-GM certificate as interchangeable or as a single combined document. They are distinct requirements: the phytosanitary certificate is issued by the competent authority of the exporting country under PPQS oversight, while the non-GM attestation must either be a separate FSSAI-format certificate or appear on the phytosanitary certificate containing every declaration specified in the FSSAI order of 21 August 2021. An attestation that omits any required declaration field is treated as non-compliant, exposing the consignment to detention and re-inspection charges.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0809 40 00 require BIS certification?

No, fresh plums and sloes fall outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers fresh stone fruit. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with a concurrent Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage phytosanitary clearance and a mandatory non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate for consignments dispatched on or after 1 March 2021.

Can the non-GM certificate be combined with the phytosanitary certificate instead of issued as a separate document?

Yes, per the FSSAI order dated 21-08-2021, a non-GM origin cum GM-free attestation on the phytosanitary or health certificate is accepted, provided it contains every declaration specified in the FSSAI-prescribed format; a partial or informal attestation does not satisfy the requirement.

What labelling corrections can be made at the port of import for this consignment?

Per CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus and CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus, rectifiable items include per-serve RDA percentage contributions and best-before or expiry date additions supplied by the manufacturer; rectification must be carried out at a customs bonded warehouse by affixing a single non-detachable sticker without altering the original label.

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