Of seed quality

Cumin seeds of seed quality, neither crushed nor ground

FSSAI CLEARANCE · PPQS CLEARANCE

HSN 0909 31 11 (cumin seeds of seed quality) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence requirements under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage (PPQS) phytosanitary clearance under the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Imports into India) Order, 2003. The tariff line is Restricted under the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), with import for sowing permitted under a PPQS import permit and consignments admitted only through designated food-import entry points under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022.

What this is

HSN code

0909 31 11

Chapter

09 · Coffee, tea, mate and spices

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006; PPQS · Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Imports into India) Order, 2003

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Phytosanitary Certificate from PPQS
Food grade certificate from FSSAI

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

FSSAIFSSAI·Food Safety and Standards Authority of India

PPQSPPQS·Plant Quarantine and Phytosanitary regime

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.

Compliance steps

1
Obtain the FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) before consignment dispatch, and ensure the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) and Food Grade Certificate (document code 6570FS) are also prepared for e-Sanchit upload. All four mandatory documents — 0110FS, 6570FS, 851000, and 911001 — must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before the customs proper officer grants out-of-charge.
CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022; CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023; FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022 under F.No.Import/TFM/Apex/2022-FSSAI
2
Obtain a Phytosanitary Certificate (document code 851000) from the competent authority of the exporting country and ensure PPQS clearance under the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Imports into India) Order, 2003. For imports of seed-quality cumin intended for sowing, a PPQS import permit replaces the general FSSAI licence requirement, but phytosanitary documentation remains mandatory in both tracks.
Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Imports into India) Order, 2003; ITC (HS) Restricted-import policy condition, Chapter 09
3
Verify the consignment is routed through a designated food-import entry point under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Separately, confirm the goods do not seek entry under DFIA: DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 expressly bars spices — all of which fall under Appendix 4J and are subject to pre-import conditions — from import under Duty Free Import Authorisation under any circumstances, regardless of intended end use.
General Note 4(D), Schedule I, ITC (HS) 2022; DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is assuming that the seed-quality carve-out — import permitted for sowing under a PPQS import permit without an FSSAI licence — also removes the phytosanitary certificate obligation or opens DFIA eligibility. It does neither: the Phytosanitary Certificate (document code 851000) is mandatory regardless of whether the goods are routed through the FSSAI or PPQS track, and DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 makes clear that all spices, including cumin seeds, fall under Appendix 4J and cannot be imported under DFIA under any circumstances.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0909 31 11 require BIS certification?

No, no BIS Quality Control Order covers this product family. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and by Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage under the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Imports into India) Order, 2003, with ITC (HS) Restricted-import policy administered by DGFT.

Can seed-quality cumin be imported without an FSSAI Import Licence?

Yes, but only for sowing: import for sowing is permitted without an FSSAI licence where an import permit is granted by PPQS under the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Imports into India) Order, 2003. The Phytosanitary Certificate (document code 851000) and all other mandatory e-Sanchit documents remain compulsory.

Are cumin seeds eligible for import under a Duty Free Import Authorisation?

No. DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 clarifies that all spices fall under Appendix 4J and are subject to pre-import conditions, making their import under DFIA impermissible irrespective of the intended end use.

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