Other

Cinnamon and cinnamon-tree flowers, other varieties

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 0906 19 90 (Cinnamon and cinnamon-tree flowers, 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, read with the FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017. The tariff line is subject to ITC (HS) policy condition 1 of Chapter 09 administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), and spices under this heading are ineligible for import under Duty-Free Import Authorisation as all spices fall under Appendix 4J and are subject to a pre-import condition. Consignments are permitted only through designated food-import entry points under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022.

What this is

HSN code

0906 19 90

Chapter

09 · Coffee, tea, mate and spices

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017

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
Secure a valid FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and ensure the foreign manufacturing or processing facility is eligible under the FSSAI food-import regime. Upload all four mandatory documents in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry: Specimen Copy of Label (0110FS), Food Grade Certificate (6570FS), Phytosanitary Certificate (851000), and FSSAI Import Licence (911001).
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 exclusively through one of the designated food-import entry points per General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Labelling deficiencies that are rectifiable under Regulation 6 of the FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017 and the FSSAI orders of 22-05-2018 and 14-01-2019 must be corrected at the customs bonded warehouse by affixing a single non-detachable sticker next to the principal display panel before inspection.
CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022 · FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022 · FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020
3
Confirm that the import is not being attempted under a Duty-Free Import Authorisation (DFIA). DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 clarifies that all spices, including those under Chapter 09, fall under Appendix 4J and are subject to a pre-import condition, making DFIA import impermissible regardless of intended end use.
DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 · ITC (HS) policy condition 1 of Chapter 09

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is attempting to import cinnamon or cinnamon-tree flowers under a Duty-Free Import Authorisation on the assumption that the end-use (e.g., further manufacture or export) creates an exemption from the pre-import condition. DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 forecloses that position categorically: spices under Appendix 4J carry a pre-import condition that is non-waivable irrespective of intended use, and a DFIA-based import will be treated as a policy violation, exposing the consignment to detention and the importer to recovery of the full applicable duty.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0906 19 90 require BIS certification?

No, cinnamon and cinnamon-tree flowers are 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 an ITC (HS) policy condition 1 of Chapter 09 overlay 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: 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 codes are present.

Can this product be imported under DFIA or is it freely importable by export-oriented units?

No. DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 explicitly bars import of all spices — including those under Chapter 09 — under DFIA, as they fall under Appendix 4J with a mandatory pre-import condition that applies regardless of the importer's end-use or export-orientation status.

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