Powder

Crushed or ground Capsicum or Pimenta powder, spice powder

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 0904 22 21 (Powder, crushed or ground Capsicum/Pimenta) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) import licensing under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with import permitted only through the 79 designated food-import ports under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. The tariff line also carries ITC (HS) policy condition 1 of Chapter 9 administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), and DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 expressly bars import of spices under Duty Free Import Authorisation.

What this is

HSN code

0904 22 21

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 valid FSSAI Import Licence and ensure it is uploaded in e-Sanchit under document code 911001 before filing the bill of entry. Simultaneously upload the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS), Food Grade Certificate (document code 6570FS), and Phytosanitary Certificate (document code 851000) — all four documents must be present before customs grants out-of-charge.
FSSAI Import Regulations · ITC (HS) policy condition 1 of Chapter 9 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023
2
Route the consignment exclusively through one of the 79 designated food-import ports under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Any labelling deficiency permissible for rectification under FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 must be corrected at the customs bonded warehouse using a single non-detachable sticker before visual inspection by the authorised officer.
General Note 4(D), ITC (HS) 2022 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022
3
Confirm the import is not being routed under a Duty Free Import Authorisation. DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 explicitly bars all spices — including crushed and ground Capsicum/Pimenta powder — from import under DFIA, as they fall under Appendix 4J and are subject to a pre-import condition irrespective of 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 spice powder under a Duty Free Import Authorisation on the assumption that end-use as a manufacturing input creates an exemption. DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 closes that route categorically: all spices appear in Appendix 4J with a pre-import condition, and no intended end-use argument overrides that bar. A consignment presented under DFIA will be denied out-of-charge and faces re-export or confiscation under DGFT enforcement.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0904 22 21 require BIS certification?

No, crushed and ground Capsicum/Pimenta powder 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 Act, 2006, with ITC (HS) policy condition 1 of Chapter 9 and the 79-designated-port 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), Phytosanitary Certificate (851000), and FSSAI Import Licence (911001). Customs out-of-charge will not be granted until all four are verified in e-Sanchit.

Can this spice powder be imported under a Duty Free Import Authorisation by an export-oriented manufacturer?

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

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