Other

Other spices (residual category, Chapter 09)

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 0910 99 19 (other spices, residual) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with a mandatory 25% value-addition condition applicable under Chapter 09 of the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). Consignments are permitted only through the 79 designated food-import entry points under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022, and import under a Duty Free Import Authorisation is expressly prohibited for all spices.

What this is

HSN code

0910 99 19

Chapter

09 · Coffee, tea, mate and spices

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (high-risk food, designated-port 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
Secure an FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) before consignment dispatch and confirm the foreign manufacturing facility is registered under the FSSAI high-risk food regime. 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.
CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023; FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022 under F.No.Import/TFM/Apex/2022-FSSAI
2
Verify that the Chapter 09 ITC (HS) policy condition is satisfied, including a minimum 25% value addition on the imported spice. Route the consignment exclusively through a designated food-import entry point in compliance with General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022.
DGFT Public Notice 08/2024-25 dated 03-06-2024; General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of ITC (HS) 2022; CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus dated 08-02-2023
3
Confirm that labelling complies with the FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020. Any rectifiable labelling deficiency — including per-serve RDA percentages and expiry-date information — must be corrected at the customs-bonded warehouse by affixing a single non-detachable sticker adjacent to the principal display panel before the authorised FSSAI officer's inspection; do not attempt rectification after visual inspection.
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

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is attempting to import spices under a Duty Free Import Authorisation (DFIA). DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 makes clear that all spices fall under Appendix 4J and are subject to a pre-import condition, rendering DFIA import impermissible irrespective of intended end use — including for export-linked manufacturing. An importer relying on DFIA will find the consignment liable to detention and demand of full applicable duties from the date of import.

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 0910 99 19 require BIS certification?

No, residual spices under Chapter 09 are outside 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 policy conditions including a 25% value-addition requirement and a designated food-import entry-point restriction.

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

Four documents are mandatory: FSSAI Import Licence (911001), Specimen Copy of Label (0110FS), Food Grade Certificate (6570FS), and Phytosanitary Certificate (851000); all must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before customs out-of-charge.

Are there any special testing standards for clove stem falling under this residual HSN?

Yes. Until dedicated FSSAI standards for clove stem are notified, imported clove stem is tested against horizontal safety parameters and a volatile oil content of not less than 8.5% by v/w on a dry basis, being half the value applicable to whole cloves under FSSR 2.9.6(1), per CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022.

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