Seed

Soya beans for sowing, seed quality

FSSAI CLEARANCE · PPQS CLEARANCE

HSN 1201 10 00 (Soya bean seed) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence and a mandatory non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage (PPQS) phytosanitary clearance applies concurrently, and the tariff line is Restricted under ITC (HS) policy condition 4 of Chapter 12 administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). Consignments must enter through designated food-import ports per General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022.

What this is

HSN code

1201 10 00

Chapter

12 · Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits; miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruit; industrial or medicinal plants

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (high-risk food, GM-free regime)

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate from FSSAI
Phytosanitary certificate from PPQS

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
Secure the FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and upload it in e-Sanchit before the bill of entry is filed. Separately, ensure the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) is uploaded; the customs out-of-charge officer will verify both documents before granting out-of-charge.
FSSAI order dated 03-12-2020, File No. 1-1764/FSSAI/Imports/2018(Part1) · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023
2
Obtain a non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate for every consignment dispatched on or after 1 March 2021. A non-GM origin cum GM-free attestation endorsed on the phytosanitary or health certificate is accepted provided it contains all information and declarations in the format prescribed by the FSSAI order dated 21-08-2021.
FSSAI order dated 03-12-2020, File No. 1-1764/FSSAI/Imports/2018(Part1) · FSSAI order dated 21-08-2021
3
Route the consignment through a port designated under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022 for food imports, and confirm compliance with ITC (HS) policy condition 4 of Chapter 12. Labelling deficiencies permitted for rectification at the port must be corrected by affixing a single non-detachable sticker next to the principal display panel without altering the original label, per the FSSAI rectifiable-labelling regime.
General Note 4(D), ITC (HS) Schedule I · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022 · FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating the FSSAI Import Licence as the sole clearance document and overlooking that the non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate is a separate, consignment-specific instrument required for every shipment dispatched on or after 1 March 2021 — it cannot be substituted by a standing declaration. Where the attestation is endorsed on the phytosanitary certificate, it must replicate every field in the FSSAI-prescribed format; a partial endorsement causes detention at the designated port while a compliant replacement certificate is obtained from the exporting country authority.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 1201 10 00 require BIS certification?

No, soya bean seed falls outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers this product family. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with concurrent PPQS phytosanitary clearance and the ITC (HS) Restricted-import policy condition 4 of Chapter 12.

Is the non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate required for consignments dispatched before 1 March 2021?

No. The mandatory non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate requirement applies only to consignments dispatched from the exporting country on or after 1 March 2021, per FSSAI order dated 03-12-2020.

Can labelling deficiencies be corrected after the consignment arrives at the port?

Yes, but only for the categories of deficiency permitted under the FSSAI rectifiable-labelling regime; correction must be carried out at a customs bonded warehouse before inspection by affixing a single non-detachable sticker that does not alter the original label, per CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus and the FSSAI clarification order dated 18-11-2022.

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