Crushed or ground

Crushed or ground cinnamon and cinnamon-tree flowers

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 0906 20 00 (Crushed or ground cinnamon and cinnamon-tree flowers) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence requirements under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and to ITC (HS) policy condition no. 1 of Chapter 09 administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). Import is permitted only through designated food-import entry points under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022, and DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 confirms that spices falling under Appendix 4J — including cinnamon — are ineligible for import under DFIA under any circumstances.

What this is

HSN code

0906 20 00

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 the FSSAI Import Licence and ensure all four mandatory e-Sanchit documents are uploaded before filing the bill of entry: Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS), Food Grade Certificate (document code 6570FS), Phytosanitary Certificate (document code 851000), and FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001). The customs proper officer will verify these uploads before granting out-of-charge.
CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022 · FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022
2
Route the consignment only through a designated food-import entry point in compliance with General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Confirm labelling compliance with the FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020; limited rectification of specified labelling deficiencies is permissible at customs bonded warehouses by affixing a single non-detachable sticker adjacent to the principal display panel, per the dispensation in CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus.
General Note 4(D), Schedule I, ITC (HS) 2022 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022 · FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022
3
Do not attempt to import crushed or ground cinnamon 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 within Appendix 4J and carry a pre-import condition, rendering DFIA ineligible irrespective of the intended end use. Any such import will be treated as a policy violation.
DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 · ITC (HS) policy condition no. 1 of Chapter 09

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is attempting to import crushed or ground cinnamon for manufacturing use under a DFIA on the assumption that the authorisation overrides the Chapter 09 policy condition. DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 closes that route entirely: all spices in Appendix 4J are subject to a pre-import condition and DFIA import is impermissible under any circumstances — a consignment presented under DFIA will be detained and is liable to confiscation as an unauthorised Restricted-import breach.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0906 20 00 require BIS certification?

No, crushed or ground cinnamon 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 the ITC (HS) policy condition no. 1 of Chapter 09 administered by DGFT and designated food-import entry point restrictions under General Note 4(D) of the ITC (HS) 2022.

Which document codes must be uploaded in e-Sanchit for this tariff line?

Four documents are mandatory: Specimen Copy of Label (0110FS), Food Grade Certificate (6570FS), Phytosanitary Certificate (851000), and FSSAI Import Licence (911001). All four must be present in e-Sanchit before the customs proper officer will grant out-of-charge.

Can crushed cinnamon be imported under a Duty Free Import Authorisation?

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

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