Other

Whole cloves, neither crushed nor ground (other)

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 0907 10 90 (whole cloves, neither crushed nor ground — residual category) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence and labelling compliance 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 tariff line is subject to ITC (HS) policy condition 1 of Chapter 09 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

0907 10 90

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 before filing the bill of entry and ensure the following documents are uploaded in e-Sanchit prior to out-of-charge: 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).
ITC (HS) policy condition 1 of Chapter 09 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023
2
Route the consignment only through one of the designated food-import entry points notified under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Where labelling deficiencies exist, rectification is permitted at customs bonded warehouses by affixing a single non-detachable sticker without altering the original label, per the FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020.
General Note 4(D), ITC (HS) 2022 · FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023
3
Where the consignment includes clove stems, note that no independent FSSAI standard has been notified for clove stems; testing is conducted against horizontal safety parameters and volatile oil content (not less than 8.5% v/w on dry basis, being half the value prescribed for whole cloves under FSSR 2.9.6(1)). Confirm compliance with FSSAI clarification order dated 18-11-2022 before filing. Do not import spices under Duty-Free Import Authorisation (DFIA) — all spices fall under Appendix 4J and are ineligible for DFIA regardless of intended end use.
FSSAI clarification order dated 18-11-2022 · DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 · FSSR 2.9.6(1)

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is attempting to import whole cloves or clove stems under a Duty-Free Import Authorisation. DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 categorically bars import of spices under DFIA because all spices appear in Appendix 4J with a pre-import condition; an attempt to clear a spice consignment under DFIA will result in detention and potential confiscation regardless of the declared end use. A separate trap arises with clove stems, which lack a dedicated FSSAI standard and are tested against the half-value volatile oil threshold of FSSR 2.9.6(1) — importers who do not test against this parameter face consignment rejection at the port laboratory.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0907 10 90 require BIS certification?

No. Whole cloves in the residual category are not covered by any BIS Quality Control Order. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, subject to ITC (HS) policy condition 1 of Chapter 09 administered by DGFT.

Which document codes must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before out-of-charge 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 to be uploaded before the customs officer issues out-of-charge, per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023.

Can cloves or clove stems be imported under a Duty-Free Import Authorisation?

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

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