Stem

Clove stems, whole neither crushed nor ground

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 0907 10 30 (Clove stem) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence requirement and food-safety testing under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with import restricted to designated food-import ports under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) policy condition 1 of Chapter 9 applies, and DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 confirms clove stems fall under Appendix 4J and are ineligible for import under DFIA under any circumstances.

What this is

HSN code

0907 10 30

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 an FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) before filing the bill of entry and upload it in e-Sanchit. Also upload the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS), Food Grade Certificate (document code 6570FS), and Phytosanitary Certificate (document code 851000) — all must be present in e-Sanchit before customs out-of-charge is granted.
CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022 · ITC (HS) policy condition 1 of Chapter 9
2
Route the consignment only through one of the 79 designated food-import ports as notified under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Ensure the consignment is tested against horizontal safety parameters and volatile oil content on a dry basis of not less than 8.5% by v/w — half the standard for whole cloves under FSSR 2.9.6(1) — pending notification of dedicated clove-stem standards.
FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022 under F.No.Import/TFM/Apex/2022-FSSAI · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022 · General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of ITC (HS) 2022
3
Do not import clove stems under a Duty Free Import Authorisation (DFIA). All spices, including clove stems, fall under Appendix 4J and are subject to a pre-import condition; DFIA import is impermissible irrespective of intended end use. Rectifiable labelling deficiencies may be remedied at customs bonded warehouses by affixing a single non-detachable sticker per FSSAI clarification order dated 18-11-2022.
DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 · FSSAI clarification order dated 18-11-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is attempting DFIA-backed import on the assumption that clove stems, as a processing input, are exempt from the Appendix 4J pre-import condition. DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 closes that route entirely — the restriction is absolute, irrespective of end use. Separately, clove stems have no dedicated notified standard under FSSR; testing is conducted against the proxy volatile-oil threshold of 8.5% by v/w, and a consignment that fails this horizontal parameter faces detention and potential re-export even where all PGA documents are in order.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0907 10 30 require BIS certification?

No, clove stems are not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers spices under Chapter 9. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with a DGFT ITC (HS) policy condition and a designated food-import port restriction.

Which e-Sanchit document codes are mandatory for clove stem imports at the bill of entry?

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

Can clove stems be imported under a DFIA or other duty-exemption authorisation?

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

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