Cinnamon bark

Cinnamon bark (Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume)

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 0906 11 10 (Cinnamon bark) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with mandatory coumarin-content testing at the port of entry. The import policy is governed by ITC (HS) policy condition no. 1 of Chapter 09 administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), and spices including cinnamon are ineligible for import under DFIA per DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025.

What this is

HSN code

0906 11 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 valid FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and ensure the following documents are uploaded in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry: Specimen Copy of Label (0110FS), Food Grade Certificate (6570FS), Phytosanitary Certificate (851000), and the FSSAI Import Licence (911001). No out-of-charge will be granted until all four codes are verified in e-Sanchit.
CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of ITC (HS) 2022
2
Ensure every consignment is tested for coumarin content on a dry-weight basis; the permissible limit is 0.3 percent by weight. Consignments exceeding this threshold are liable to detention and rejection at port. Separately verify that the goods are not cassia or split cassia mis-declared as cinnamon.
CBIC Instruction 28/2021-Customs dated 09-12-2021 · CBIC Instruction 16/2021-Cus dated 09-08-2021
3
Do not import cinnamon under a Duty Free Import Authorisation (DFIA). All spices fall under Appendix 4J and are subject to a pre-import condition; their import under DFIA is not permissible under any circumstances irrespective of intended end use. Confirm compliance with ITC (HS) policy condition no. 1 of Chapter 09 before placing the purchase order.
DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 · ITC (HS) policy condition no. 1 of Chapter 09

A word of counsel

The most persistent error on this tariff line is the mis-declaration of cassia or split cassia as true cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume) — a distinction customs officers are specifically instructed to verify under CBIC Instruction 16/2021-Cus. A mis-declared consignment faces seizure and prosecution under the Customs Act, 1962, independently of FSSAI clearance. The coumarin-content failure is a separate ground for rejection that applies even when species identity is correct, so source-country test certificates should be obtained before shipment.

Need a regulatory steer on this product?

Speak to a regulatory counsel about your specific HSN, IS, and supplier situation.

Speak to an Expert

Frequently asked

Does HSN 0906 11 10 require BIS certification?

No; no BIS Quality Control Order covers cinnamon bark. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with coumarin-content limits enforced under CBIC Instruction 28/2021-Customs and an ITC (HS) policy overlay administered by DGFT.

What are the mandatory e-Sanchit document codes for this tariff line?

Four codes must be uploaded before out-of-charge: Specimen Copy of Label (0110FS), Food Grade Certificate (6570FS), Phytosanitary Certificate (851000), and FSSAI Import Licence (911001), per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023.

Can cinnamon be imported under a DFIA authorisation to save on basic customs duty?

No. DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 clarifies that all spices, including cinnamon, 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.