Other

Crushed or ground ginger, turmeric, curry and other spices

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 0910 12 90 (crushed or ground spices, residual) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) import licensing under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with a mandatory minimum 25% value-addition condition under Chapter 09 of the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). Consignments are restricted to designated food-import entry points under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022, and spices under this tariff line are ineligible for import under Duty-Free Import Authorisation.

What this is

HSN code

0910 12 90

Chapter

09 · Coffee, tea, mate and spices

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (food import regime)

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Food grade certificate from FSSAI
Phytosanitary Certificate from exporting country

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 (document code 911001) and ensure the foreign consignment meets the minimum 25% value-addition condition prescribed for Chapter 09 spices. Upload the FSSAI Import Licence, Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS), Food Grade Certificate (document code 6570FS), and Phytosanitary Certificate (document code 851000) in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry.
DGFT Public Notice 08/2024-25 dated 03-06-2024 · ITC (HS) Chapter 09 policy conditions
2
Route the consignment through one of the designated food-import entry points notified under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Before customs out-of-charge, confirm compliance with the rectifiable-labelling regime under FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 as clarified in CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022 and further modified by CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023.
General Note 4(D), ITC (HS) Schedule I 2022 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023
3
Do not attempt to import spices under a Duty-Free Import Authorisation (DFIA): all spices fall under Appendix 4J and are subject to a pre-import condition, rendering their import under DFIA impermissible irrespective of intended end use. Ensure any advance authorisation or DFIA structuring is reviewed before purchase order placement to avoid consignment detention.
DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is assuming that an existing DFIA or advance authorisation exempts the importer from the Chapter 09 value-addition condition or the pre-import restrictions. DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 makes clear that spices under Appendix 4J cannot be imported under DFIA under any circumstances, and a consignment that arrives against a DFIA is liable to detention and DGFT enforcement — the value-addition obligation of 25% is a separate, concurrent requirement that must also be satisfied.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0910 12 90 require BIS certification?

No, crushed or ground spices under this residual tariff line 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 DGFT ITC (HS) Chapter 09 policy conditions including the 25% value-addition requirement.

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

Four documents are mandatory: FSSAI Import Licence (code 911001), Specimen Copy of Label (code 0110FS), Food Grade Certificate (code 6570FS), and Phytosanitary Certificate (code 851000); all must be uploaded before customs out-of-charge per the CCR obligations confirmed by CBIC.

Can spices under this HSN be imported using 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 a pre-import condition, making import under DFIA impermissible irrespective of the intended end use.

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