Neither crushed nor ground

Whole nutmeg, mace and cardamoms, unground

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 0908 21 00 (whole, neither crushed nor ground nutmeg) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence and labelling compliance under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017. The tariff line is governed by ITC (HS) Policy Condition No. 1 of Chapter 09 administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), and import is restricted to designated food-import entry points under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 additionally bars import of spices under Duty Free Import Authorisation as all spices fall under Appendix 4J and carry a pre-import condition.

What this is

HSN code

0908 21 00

Chapter

09 · Coffee, tea, mate and spices

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (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
Obtain a valid FSSAI Import Licence and ensure the foreign manufacturing facility is compliant with FSSAI requirements. Upload the FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001), Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS), Food Grade Certificate (document code 6570FS), and Phytosanitary Certificate (document code 851000) in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry.
FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017 · ITC (HS) Policy Condition No. 1, Chapter 09 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023
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. Any labelling deficiencies permitted for rectification under FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022 must be corrected at customs bonded warehouses before visual inspection, by affixing a single non-detachable sticker without altering the original label.
General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of 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 import spices under a Duty Free Import Authorisation scheme. DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 clarifies that all spices, including nutmeg, fall under Appendix 4J and are subject to a pre-import condition, rendering DFIA-based import impermissible irrespective of intended end use.
DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is attempting to import nutmeg and allied spices under a Duty Free Import Authorisation, treating it as a standard DFIA-eligible input. DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 is unambiguous: all spices in Appendix 4J carry a pre-import condition and DFIA is unavailable under any circumstances. An import consignment that arrives against a DFIA will be treated as an unauthorised Restricted-import, attracting customs detention, DGFT enforcement, and potential confiscation of the goods.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0908 21 00 require BIS certification?

No. No BIS Quality Control Order covers whole nutmeg, mace or cardamoms. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with ITC (HS) Policy Condition No. 1 of Chapter 09 administered by DGFT as the concurrent policy overlay.

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

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

Can spices under this HSN 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 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.