Black tea, dust in bulk

Black tea dust in bulk, other fermented tea

FSSAI CLEARANCE · PPQS CLEARANCE

HSN 0902 40 30 (Black tea, dust in bulk) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence and mandatory food-safety clearance under the Food Safety and Standards (Import) Regulations, 2017. Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage (PPQS) phytosanitary oversight and the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) ITC (HS) policy condition No. 1 of Chapter 9 apply as additional clearance requirements. Imports from Nepal carry a further obligation: a Tea Board licence under the Tea (Distribution and Export) Control Order, 2005 and a clearance certificate from the Tea Council.

What this is

HSN code

0902 40 30

Chapter

09 · Coffee, tea, mate and spices

Primary regulator

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

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
CC for tea import from Tea Board
Food grade certificate 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 a valid FSSAI Import Licence and ensure that the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS), Food Grade Certificate (document code 6570FS), FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001), and CC for Tea Import by Tea Board (document code 911TB1) are all uploaded in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry. Out-of-charge will not be granted until all four documents are verified in the system.
Food Safety and Standards (Import) Regulations, 2017 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022 · General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of ITC (HS) 2022
2
For imports originating from Nepal, hold a licence under the Tea (Distribution and Export) Control Order, 2005 and obtain a clearance certificate from the Tea Council before shipment. Mandatory sanitary and phytosanitary certificates are also required under the India-Nepal trade treaty prior to allowing entry.
Tea (Distribution and Export) Control Order, 2005 · CBIC Instruction 25/2021-Cus dated 24-11-2021 (F. No. 401/88/2021-CUS-III)
3
Route the consignment through a designated food-import entry point per General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. For Nepal and Sri Lanka origin consignments, 100% FSSAI sampling and testing applies for the first three consignments; only if all three are cleared does the referral rate reduce to 5% for subsequent shipments.
FSSAI letter dated 23-04-2024 · General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of ITC (HS) 2022

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating the FSSAI Import Licence as the sole clearance requirement and overlooking the Tea Board clearance certificate (document code 911TB1), which is a distinct mandatory document at the bill of entry. For Nepal-origin black tea dust, the Tea Board licence under the Tea (Distribution and Export) Control Order, 2005 is a pre-condition to import — not a post-clearance formality — and its absence results in consignment detention regardless of FSSAI compliance status. The 100%-to-5% referral transition for Nepal and Sri Lanka applies per-importer across consecutive consignments, not per shipment in isolation.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0902 40 30 require BIS certification?

No, black tea dust in bulk 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 oversight and the DGFT ITC (HS) policy condition No. 1 of Chapter 9.

What is the FSSAI testing referral rate for tea imported from Nepal and Sri Lanka?

Per the FSSAI letter dated 23 April 2024, the first three consignments are subject to 100% mandatory sampling and testing; if all three pass, only 5% of subsequent consignments are referred to FSSAI for testing.

Is the Tea Board clearance certificate required for all origins or only for Nepal?

The Tea Board licence and Tea Council clearance certificate under the Tea (Distribution and Export) Control Order, 2005 are specifically mandated for imports from Nepal per CBIC Instruction 25/2021-Cus dated 24-11-2021; document code 911TB1 must be uploaded in e-Sanchit regardless of origin.

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