In shell

Nutmeg in shell, neither crushed nor ground

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 0908 11 10 (Nutmeg in shell) 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, with import permitted only through designated food-import ports under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) policy condition 1 of Chapter 9 of the ITC (HS) import policy applies, and DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 explicitly bars import of spices under DFIA.

What this is

HSN code

0908 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 and ensure the four mandatory documents are uploaded in e-Sanchit 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). Customs out-of-charge will not be granted until all four are present in e-Sanchit.
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 exclusively through one of the designated food-import entry points notified under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Consignments arriving at non-designated ports are liable to detention pending re-routing or re-export.
General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of ITC (HS) 2022 · ITC (HS) policy condition 1 of Chapter 9
3
Do not attempt import under Duty Free Import Authorisation (DFIA): DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 confirms that all spices fall under Appendix 4J and carry a pre-import condition, making DFIA-based import impermissible irrespective of intended end use. Ensure labelling complies with the FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020; limited rectification of specified labelling deficiencies is permitted at customs bonded warehouses under CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus.
DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022 · FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is assuming that a DFIA or advance-authorisation route bypasses the ITC (HS) Chapter 9 policy condition for spices. DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 forecloses this entirely: spices under Appendix 4J carry a pre-import condition and DFIA import is impermissible under any circumstances. A consignment routed under DFIA will be treated as an unauthorised import, attracting detention, monetary penalty, and potential confiscation under the Customs Act, 1962.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0908 11 10 require BIS certification?

No, nutmeg in shell 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 four mandatory e-Sanchit documents required at the bill of entry and an ITC (HS) Chapter 9 policy condition administered by DGFT.

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 must be uploaded before customs out-of-charge per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023.

Can nutmeg be imported under DFIA to reduce duty incidence?

No. DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 confirms that all spices fall under Appendix 4J and are subject to 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.