Powder

Crushed or ground cardamom, nutmeg or mace powder

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 0908 32 10 (Powder — crushed or ground nutmeg, mace and cardamoms) 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 permitted only through designated food-import ports under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) ITC (HS) policy condition 1 of Chapter 09 applies as a Restricted-import overlay, and all spices — including this tariff line — are ineligible for import under Duty Free Import Authorisation per DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025.

What this is

HSN code

0908 32 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 current FSSAI Import Licence and ensure the mandatory documents — 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) — are uploaded in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry. Customs out-of-charge will not be granted until all four documents are verified 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 only through one of the 79 designated food-import ports under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022, and comply with ITC (HS) policy condition 1 of Chapter 09. Labelling deficiencies permitted for rectification at customs bonded warehouses — including per-serve RDA percentage and expiry date — must be corrected by affixing a single non-detachable sticker without altering the original label.
General Note 4(D), ITC (HS) Schedule I, 2022 · FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022
3
Do not seek to import this tariff line under a Duty Free Import Authorisation. All spices, including crushed and ground cardamom, nutmeg and mace, fall under Appendix 4J of the ITC (HS) policy and are subject to a pre-import condition; their import under DFIA is not permissible under any circumstances irrespective of intended end use.
DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025

A word of counsel

The most frequent error on this tariff line is attempting to import spice powders under a Duty Free Import Authorisation on the assumption that food-processing end use qualifies for the exemption. DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 has closed that route categorically: all spices appear in Appendix 4J and carry a pre-import condition, rendering DFIA ineligible regardless of end use. A consignment imported on the basis of a DFIA will be treated as an unauthorised Restricted-policy import and is liable to confiscation and monetary penalty.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0908 32 10 require BIS certification?

No, crushed and ground spice powders 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, with ITC (HS) policy condition 1 of Chapter 09 administered by DGFT as the Restricted-import overlay.

Which e-Sanchit document codes are mandatory at the bill of entry for this tariff line?

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

Can labelling deficiencies on imported spice powder consignments be rectified at port?

Yes, but only for the specific categories permitted under CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus and the FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022 — including per-serve RDA percentage and expiry date — by affixing a single non-detachable sticker at a customs bonded warehouse before re-inspection; missing PGA clearances are not rectifiable under this dispensation.

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