Small, coorg green

Small cardamom, coorg green, neither crushed nor ground

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 0908 31 30 (Small, coorg green cardamom) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with a Minimum Import Price of ₹500 per kilogram (CIF) under Notification No. 109/(RE-2013)/2009-2014. Consignments must enter through designated food-import ports per General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022, and spices under this tariff line are ineligible for import under Duty Free Import Authorisation per DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025.

What this is

HSN code

0908 31 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
Phyto Sanitary 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 and ensure the CIF value is at or above ₹500 per kilogram before filing the bill of entry. Upload the FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001), Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS), Food Grade Certificate (document code 6570FS), and Phyto Sanitary Certificate (document code 851000) in e-Sanchit prior to out-of-charge.
Notification No. 109/(RE-2013)/2009-2014 · FSSAI Act, 2006 · e-Sanchit document codes 911001, 0110FS, 6570FS, 851000
2
Route the consignment through a designated food-import port in compliance with General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Label deficiencies limited to per-serve RDA contribution and expiry/best-before date may be rectified at the customs bonded warehouse by affixing a single non-detachable sticker, per CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs and FSSAI clarification order dated 18-11-2022.
General Note 4(D), ITC (HS) 2022 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · FSSAI clarification order dated 18-11-2022
3
Do not attempt to import this tariff line under a Duty Free Import Authorisation. All spices fall under Appendix 4J and are subject to a pre-import condition, rendering DFIA ineligible 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 assuming that DFIA or advance authorisation exemptions reduce the documentation burden for spice imports. DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 explicitly forecloses DFIA for all spices listed under Appendix 4J — including small cardamom — on the basis of the pre-import condition; a consignment presented under DFIA will be treated as an unauthorised Restricted-policy import, attracting detention and re-export or confiscation at the port of entry.

Need a regulatory steer on this product?

Speak to a regulatory counsel about your specific HSN, IS, and supplier situation.

Speak to an Expert

Frequently asked

Does HSN 0908 31 30 require BIS certification?

No, small cardamom (coorg green) 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 a Minimum Import Price of ₹500 per kilogram (CIF) and FSSAI Import Licence as the binding requirement at the bill of entry.

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

Four documents are mandatory: FSSAI Import Licence (911001), Specimen Copy of Label (0110FS), Food Grade Certificate (6570FS), and Phyto Sanitary Certificate (851000). All must be uploaded before the customs officer grants out-of-charge.

Can small cardamom be imported under a Duty Free Import Authorisation?

No. DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 clarifies that all spices, including small cardamom, fall under Appendix 4J with a pre-import condition, making DFIA ineligible under any circumstances regardless of intended end use.

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