Other

Whole coriander, cumin, caraway and fennel seeds (neither crushed nor ground)

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 0909 21 90 (whole seeds of coriander, cumin, caraway, fennel and related spices) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence and labelling compliance under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, as a food import under ITC (HS) policy condition 1 of Chapter 9. Consignments must enter through designated food-import ports under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022, and all spices under Appendix 4J are ineligible for import under DFIA per DGFT policy circular 05/2025.

What this is

HSN code

0909 21 90

Chapter

09 · Coffee, tea, mate and spices

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (food import regime, ITC (HS) policy condition 1 of Chapter 9)

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Phytosanitary Certificate from exporting country
Food Grade Certificate from FSSAI

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 following 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 documents are verified in e-Sanchit.
CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · ITC (HS) policy condition 1 of Chapter 9
2
Route the consignment exclusively through one of the designated food-import ports under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Labelling deficiencies permissible for port-of-entry rectification — including per-serve RDA contribution and expiry date — must be corrected by affixing a single non-detachable sticker on the principal display panel at the customs bonded warehouse before inspection.
CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022 · FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022 under F.No.Import/TFM/Apex/2022-FSSAI · General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of ITC (HS) 2022
3
Confirm that the import is not being processed under a Duty Free Import Authorisation (DFIA). All spices fall under Appendix 4J 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 whole spice seeds under a Duty Free Import Authorisation. DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 removes any ambiguity: all spices in Appendix 4J carry a pre-import condition that bars DFIA use regardless of end use, and consignments processed on a DFIA basis are liable to detention and retrospective duty recovery. Verify the import authorisation route before the purchase order is placed; rectification after arrival is not available for an ineligible authorisation type.

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 0909 21 90 require BIS certification?

No. No BIS Quality Control Order covers whole spice seeds under this tariff line. 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 9 administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

Which documents must be uploaded in e-Sanchit for a consignment of whole coriander or cumin seeds?

Four documents are mandatory: 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 in e-Sanchit per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus.

Can spices under this HSN be imported on a DFIA or other duty-free authorisation?

No. DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 clarifies that all spices fall under Appendix 4J with a pre-import condition, making DFIA import impermissible irrespective of the intended end use.

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