Other

Crushed or ground Capsicum and Pimenta fruits, other spices

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 0904 22 19 (crushed or ground fruits of the genus Capsicum or Pimenta, other) 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 import permitted only through designated food-import entry points under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. The tariff line is subject to policy condition no. 1 of Chapter 09 of the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). Critically, import of spices under this CTI is ineligible for Duty-Free Import Authorisation (DFIA) schemes, as all spices fall under Appendix 4J and are subject to a pre-import condition without exception.

What this is

HSN code

0904 22 19

Chapter

09 · Coffee, tea, mate and spices

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (food-import regime)

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Food Grade Certificate from FSSAI
Phyto Sanitary 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 all four mandatory e-Sanchit documents are uploaded before the bill of entry: Specimen Copy of Label (0110FS), Food Grade Certificate (6570FS), Phyto Sanitary Certificate (851000), and FSSAI Import Licence (911001). Customs out-of-charge will not be granted until all four codes are present and verified in e-Sanchit.
CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022 · FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022 under F.No.Import/TFM/Apex/2022-FSSAI
2
Route the consignment only through a designated food-import entry point as required under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022 and comply with ITC (HS) policy condition no. 1 of Chapter 09. Labelling deficiencies permissible for port-level rectification — including per-serve RDA contribution and expiry date additions — must be rectified by affixing a single non-detachable sticker next to the principal display panel before visual inspection by the authorised officer.
General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of ITC (HS) 2022 · FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022
3
Do not attempt to import this tariff line under any Duty-Free Import Authorisation (DFIA) scheme. All spices, including crushed or ground Capsicum and Pimenta, are listed under Appendix 4J and carry a pre-import condition that renders DFIA use impermissible regardless 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 attempting to import crushed or ground spices under a DFIA authorisation on the assumption that downstream manufacturing end-use creates an exemption. DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 expressly closes this route: all spices fall under Appendix 4J with a pre-import condition, and there is no carve-out for any end use. A consignment arriving under a purported DFIA entitlement is liable to confiscation and retrospective duty recovery, in addition to FSSAI enforcement for the missing Import Licence clearance.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0904 22 19 require BIS certification?

No, crushed or ground Capsicum and Pimenta spices 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 designated food-import entry point restriction applying concurrently.

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

Four documents must be uploaded: Specimen Copy of Label (0110FS), Food Grade Certificate (6570FS), Phyto Sanitary Certificate (851000), and FSSAI Import Licence (911001); out-of-charge is withheld until all four are verified per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus.

Can this spice be imported under a DFIA scheme to reduce duty outgo?

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

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