Other

Green tea (not fermented) in small packings, other varieties

FSSAI CLEARANCE · PPQS CLEARANCE

HSN 0902 10 90 (green tea, not fermented, in immediate packings not exceeding 3 kg, other) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence and food-safety clearance under the Food Safety and Standards (Import) Regulations, 2017. Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage (PPQS) phytosanitary clearance applies as a concurrent overlay, and the tariff line is subject to ITC (HS) policy condition 1 of Chapter 9 administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). Consignments are 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

0902 10 90

Chapter

09 · Coffee, tea, mate and spices

Primary regulator

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

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Clearance certificate from Tea Board
Sanitary certificate from PPQS

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 and ensure the following documents are uploaded in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry: Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS), Food Grade Certificate (document code 6570FS), FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001), and Clearance Certificate for tea import by Tea Board (document code 911TB1). No out-of-charge may be granted until all four codes are present in e-Sanchit.
FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023
2
For imports from Nepal, ensure the importer holds a valid licence under the Tea (Distribution & Export) Control Order, 2005 and obtains a clearance certificate from the Tea Council before the consignment is permitted entry. A mandatory sanitary and phytosanitary certificate is also required under the India-Nepal trade treaty before allowing the consignment into India.
CBIC Instruction 25/2021-Customs dated 24-11-2021 · Tea (Distribution & Export) Control Order, 2005 · ITC (HS) policy condition 1 of Chapter 9
3
For imports originating from Nepal or Sri Lanka, apply the FSSAI risk-based sampling protocol: 100% referral for the first three consignments; if all three pass, only 5% of subsequent consignments need be referred to FSSAI for testing. Ensure compliance with General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022 for designated food-import entry points.
FSSAI letter dated 23-04-2024 · General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of ITC (HS) 2022

A word of counsel

The most frequent error on this tariff line is failing to obtain the Tea Board clearance certificate (document code 911TB1) as a separate step alongside the FSSAI Import Licence — importers treat the FSSAI clearance as sufficient and discover at the port that the Tea Board credential is independently verified in e-Sanchit. For Nepal-origin consignments, the additional licence requirement under the Tea (Distribution & Export) Control Order, 2005 is a distinct obligation from the FSSAI licence, and absence of either triggers detention and ground rent accumulation at the designated port.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0902 10 90 require BIS certification?

No, green tea in small packings 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 (Import) Regulations, 2017, with concurrent PPQS phytosanitary clearance and ITC (HS) policy condition 1 of Chapter 9.

Are all four e-Sanchit document codes mandatory for every consignment of green tea?

Yes — Specimen Copy of Label (0110FS), Food Grade Certificate (6570FS), FSSAI Import Licence (911001), and Tea Board Clearance Certificate (911TB1) must all be uploaded in e-Sanchit before the customs officer grants out-of-charge, regardless of the origin country.

Does the reduced 5% FSSAI sampling rate for Nepal and Sri Lanka apply from the very first consignment?

No. The reduced 5% referral rate applies only after the first three consecutive consignments from Nepal or Sri Lanka have all cleared FSSAI testing; until then, 100% referral is mandatory per the FSSAI letter dated 23-04-2024.

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