Of genus Capsicum

Dried whole Capsicum fruits, neither crushed nor ground

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 0904 21 10 (dried whole Capsicum fruits) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence and food-safety clearance under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with the tariff line additionally governed by policy condition no. 1 of Chapter 09 of the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). Import is permitted only through the 79 designated food-import entry points under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022, and spices under this heading are ineligible for import under Duty-Free Import Authorisation.

What this is

HSN code

0904 21 10

Chapter

09 · Coffee, tea, mate and spices

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Food grade certificate from FSSAI
Phytosanitary Certificate from exporter

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
Obtain a current FSSAI Import Licence and ensure the following mandatory documents are uploaded in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry: 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).
CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022 under F.No.Import/TFM/APEX/2022-FSSAI
2
Route the consignment only through one of the 79 designated food-import entry points and confirm compliance with General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Labelling deficiencies permissible for rectification at customs bonded warehouses — including per-serve RDA contribution and best-before/expiry date — must be corrected by affixing a single non-detachable sticker next to the principal display panel without altering original label information.
CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020
3
Do not apply for import under Duty-Free Import Authorisation (DFIA) for this tariff line. All spices, including dried Capsicum fruits, fall under Appendix 4J and are subject to a pre-import condition, rendering DFIA ineligible irrespective of the intended end use.
DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025

A word of counsel

The most frequent error on this tariff line is attempting to import dried spices under a Duty-Free Import Authorisation — DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 closes that route entirely for all spices under Appendix 4J, regardless of end use or manufacturing status. A DFIA-routed consignment will be treated as an unauthorised Restricted-import at the bill of entry, attracting detention and potential confiscation. Separately, ensure the Phytosanitary Certificate (document code 851000) accompanies the consignment from origin; its absence is not rectifiable at port and will result in refusal of out-of-charge.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0904 21 10 require BIS certification?

No, dried Capsicum fruits are not covered by any BIS Quality Control Order. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with ITC (HS) policy condition no. 1 of Chapter 09 and the DGFT-administered designated-port requirement.

Which document codes must be uploaded in e-Sanchit at the bill of entry for this tariff line?

Four mandatory documents must be uploaded: FSSAI Import Licence (911001), Specimen Copy of Label (0110FS), Food Grade Certificate (6570FS), and Phytosanitary Certificate (851000), as verified by the proper officer before out-of-charge per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus.

Can an Export Oriented Unit or Advance Authorisation holder import dried Capsicum under DFIA?

No. DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 explicitly confirms that all spices, including dried Capsicum fruits, fall under Appendix 4J with a pre-import condition, making import under DFIA impermissible under any circumstances irrespective of the intended end use.

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