Other

Other green tea (not fermented), unblended or blended

FSSAI CLEARANCE · PPQS CLEARANCE

HSN 0902 20 90 (Other green tea, not fermented) 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 concurrently, and consignments are permitted only through designated food-import ports under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Imports from Nepal additionally require a licence under the Tea (Distribution & Export) Control Order, 2005 and a clearance certificate from the Tea Council.

What this is

HSN code

0902 20 90

Chapter

09 · Coffee, tea, mate and spices

Primary regulator

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

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Food grade certificate from FSSAI
CC for tea import from Tea Board

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 that a Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS), a Food Grade Certificate (document code 6570FS), and a Tea Board Clearance Certificate for tea import (document code 911TB1) are uploaded in e-Sanchit before the bill of entry is filed. Clearance under the Food Safety and Standards (Import) Regulations, 2017 is mandatory before goods may be released.
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 originating from Nepal, hold a valid licence under the Tea (Distribution & Export) Control Order, 2005 and obtain a clearance certificate from the Tea Council before the consignment arrives. Mandatory sanitary and phytosanitary certificates are required under the India–Nepal trade treaty prior to clearance.
CBIC Instruction 25/2021-Customs dated 24-11-2021 · F.No. 401/88/2021-Cus-III · Tea (Distribution & Export) Control Order, 2005
3
Note the differential FSSAI referral regime for tea from Nepal and Sri Lanka: 100% of the first three consignments are referred for sampling and testing; if all three clear, only 5% of subsequent consignments are referred. Route the consignment only through one of the designated food-import ports under ITC (HS) policy condition 1 of Chapter 09.
FSSAI letter dated 23-04-2024 · General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of ITC (HS) 2022 · ITC (HS) policy condition 1, Chapter 09

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is treating the FSSAI Import Licence as the only clearance needed and overlooking the Tea Board Clearance Certificate (document code 911TB1) and the Nepal-specific Tea (Distribution & Export) Control Order, 2005 licence. Consignments from Nepal that arrive without the Tea Council clearance certificate are detained at the designated port pending verification, and the detention is not rectifiable by a labelling-sticker remedy — it requires a fresh NOC from the Tea Council before out-of-charge is granted.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0902 20 90 require BIS certification?

No, other green tea (not fermented) falls 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 (Import) Regulations, 2017, with a concurrent PPQS phytosanitary overlay and Tea Board clearance requirement.

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

The mandatory e-Sanchit uploads are: Specimen Copy of Label (0110FS), Food Grade Certificate (6570FS), FSSAI Import Licence (911001), and CC for Tea Import by Tea Board (911TB1), all required before customs out-of-charge.

Does the 100% FSSAI testing requirement apply to green tea from all origins?

The 100%-for-first-three-consignments referral regime is specific to tea from Nepal and Sri Lanka per the FSSAI letter dated 23-04-2024; if all three pass, subsequent consignments from those origins attract only 5% referral.

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