Black pepper ungarbled

Black pepper ungarbled, whole unprocessed peppercorns

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 0904 11 40 (Black pepper ungarbled) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and to a Minimum Import Price of ₹500 per kilogram CIF under the ITC (HS) policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). Consignments are permitted only through designated food-import ports under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022, and spices are ineligible for import under the Duty-Free Import Authorisation scheme per DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025.

What this is

HSN code

0904 11 40

Chapter

09 · Coffee, tea, mate and spices

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Phytosanitary Certificate from exporter
Food Grade Certificate from FSSAI

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

FSSAIFSSAI·Food Safety and Standards Authority of India

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.

Compliance steps

1
Confirm the CIF value of the consignment exceeds ₹500 per kilogram before filing the bill of entry. The tariff line is Prohibited under ITC (HS) import policy, and import is free only above this MIP threshold; the MIP exemption for Advance Authorisation, 100% EOU, and SEZ units does not alter the Prohibited-import status of sub-threshold consignments. Upload the FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001), Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS), Food Grade Certificate (document code 6570FS), and Phytosanitary Certificate (document code 851000) in e-Sanchit before out-of-charge.
DGFT Notification 21/2015-20 dated 25-07-2018 · ITC (HS) import policy, Chapter 09
2
Route the consignment only through one of the designated food-import entry points notified under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. At the port, ensure label compliance with the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020; rectifiable labelling deficiencies may be corrected at a customs-bonded warehouse by affixing a single non-detachable sticker before inspection by the authorised officer.
CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · FSSAI clarification order dated 18-11-2022 · FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022
3
Do not structure the import transaction as a Duty-Free Import Authorisation. All spices fall under Appendix 4J of the ITC (HS) and are subject to a pre-import condition; import under DFIA is not permissible under any circumstances, irrespective of the intended end use.
DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is assuming the AA/EOU/SEZ MIP exemption provides a pathway to import below ₹500/kg when the underlying ITC (HS) policy classification is Prohibited, not merely Restricted. The MIP exemption removes the price floor for eligible units but does not override the Prohibited-import status triggered at sub-threshold values for non-exempt importers; customs detention and re-export follow. A separate and frequently overlooked trap is the DFIA bar: DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 closes all spice imports under DFIA, so any purchase order structured on a DFIA basis will result in import denial regardless of FSSAI and MIP compliance.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0904 11 40 require BIS certification?

No, ungarbled black pepper is not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers this product family. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, subject to the ITC (HS) Minimum Import Price of ₹500 per kilogram CIF administered by DGFT.

Which e-Sanchit document codes are mandatory at the bill of entry for this HSN?

Four documents must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before out-of-charge: FSSAI Import Licence (911001), Specimen Copy of Label (0110FS), Food Grade Certificate (6570FS), and Phytosanitary Certificate (851000).

Can spices under this HSN be imported on a Duty-Free Import Authorisation?

No. DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 clarifies that all spices fall under Appendix 4J and carry a pre-import condition, rendering import under DFIA impermissible irrespective of intended end use.

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