Other

Whole spice seeds, neither crushed nor ground (anise, fennel, coriander, cumin)

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 0909 61 39 (other whole spice seeds, neither crushed nor ground) 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 ITC (HS) policy condition 1 of Chapter 09 administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) applying as a Restricted-import overlay. Consignments must enter only through designated food-import ports under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022, and spices are ineligible for import under DFIA in all circumstances per DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025.

What this is

HSN code

0909 61 39

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 the FSSAI Import Licence before shipment and ensure that the 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 all uploaded in e-Sanchit before the bill of entry is filed. Customs out-of-charge will not be granted until all four document codes are verified in e-Sanchit.
CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022 · ITC (HS) policy condition 1 of Chapter 09
2
Route the consignment only through one of the designated food-import ports as required under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Confirm compliance with the FSSAI rectifiable-labelling regime; permissible labelling corrections must be carried out at a customs bonded warehouse by affixing a single non-detachable sticker next to the principal display panel without altering the original label.
CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022 · FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023
3
Do not attempt to import this tariff line 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 common error on this tariff line is attempting to import whole spice seeds under DFIA on the assumption that an export-linked authorisation overrides the Appendix 4J pre-import condition. DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 closes that avenue absolutely — spices are ineligible for DFIA regardless of intended end use, and a consignment that arrives under a DFIA authorisation faces confiscation and duty recovery. Verify the authorisation type before placing the purchase order, not at the port of entry.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0909 61 39 require BIS certification?

No, whole spice seeds are not covered by any BIS Quality Control Order. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with the ITC (HS) Restricted-import policy condition 1 of Chapter 09 administered by DGFT applying as an overlay.

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

The Specimen Copy of Label (0110FS), Food Grade Certificate (6570FS), Phytosanitary Certificate (851000), and FSSAI Import Licence (911001) must all be uploaded in e-Sanchit; the proper officer will verify each document code before granting out-of-charge.

Can spice seeds under this HSN be imported under a Duty Free Import Authorisation?

No. DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22 September 2025 confirms that all spices fall under Appendix 4J with a pre-import condition, making their 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.