Other

Whole cardamom, neither crushed nor ground (other varieties)

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 0908 31 90 (cardamom, neither crushed nor ground, other) 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 a Minimum Import Price of ₹500 per kilogram CIF. DGFT policy bars import of spices under Duty Free Import Authorisation, as all spices fall under Appendix 4J and are subject to a pre-import condition, and consignments must enter through designated food-import ports under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022.

What this is

HSN code

0908 31 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
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 a valid FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and ensure the consignment CIF value meets or exceeds ₹500 per kilogram. Upload the FSSAI Import Licence, Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS), Food Grade Certificate (document code 6570FS), and Phyto Sanitary Certificate (document code 851000) in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry.
FSSAI Act, 2006 · Notification No. 109/(RE-2013)/2009-2014 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022
2
Route the consignment through one of the designated food-import entry points under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Comply with the FSSAI rectifiable-labelling regime: permitted label deficiencies may be corrected at customs bonded warehouses by affixing a single non-detachable sticker next to the principal display panel without altering the original label.
General Note 4(D) of Schedule I, ITC (HS) 2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · FSSAI Order dated 18-11-2022 under F.No.Import/TFM/APEX/2022-FSSAI
3
Do not import this spice under a Duty Free Import Authorisation. 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 DFIA-based import impermissible irrespective of the 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 a DFIA or advance-authorisation route exempts the importer from the Minimum Import Price and pre-import conditions applicable to spices. DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 closes this route entirely: no import of spices under Appendix 4J is permissible under DFIA, regardless of end use, and a consignment attempting entry on that basis faces detention and potential confiscation as a policy-condition breach.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0908 31 90 require BIS certification?

No, whole cardamom and related spices are 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, subject to a Minimum Import Price of ₹500 per kilogram CIF and designated-port restrictions.

Which documents must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before out-of-charge for this HSN?

Four documents are mandatory: 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), per the CCR verification requirements.

Can spices under this tariff line be imported under a Duty Free Import Authorisation?

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

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