Other

Rape or colza seeds, other than low erucic acid

FSSAI CLEARANCE · PPQS CLEARANCE

HSN 1205 90 00 (rape or colza seeds, other varieties) 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 FSSAI order dated 03-12-2020 and subsequent clarifications. Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage (PPQS) phytosanitary clearance applies as a concurrent overlay, and consignments are restricted to designated food-import entry points under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022 administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).

What this is

HSN code

1205 90 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 and GM-free regime)

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate from FSSAI
Specimen copy of label 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) and ensure the foreign consignment carries a non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate — or a phytosanitary/health certificate bearing a GM-free attestation in the format prescribed by FSSAI — for all shipments dispatched on or after 01-03-2021. Both documents must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before the bill of entry is filed.
FSSAI order dated 03-12-2020 under file no. 1-1764/FSSAI/Imports/2018(Part1) · FSSAI order dated 21-08-2021
2
Upload the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) in e-Sanchit before customs out-of-charge. Label deficiencies permissible for port rectification — including per-serve RDA contributions and expiry date additions — must be rectified via a single non-detachable sticker affixed at a customs bonded warehouse prior to visual inspection by the authorised officer.
CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs 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
Route the consignment only through a designated food-import entry point compliant with General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Confirm PPQS phytosanitary clearance is in order before dispatch, as plant-quarantine detention at an undesignated port compounds demurrage and risks confiscation of the consignment.
General Note 4(D) of Schedule I, ITC (HS) 2022 · DGFT policy overlay

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is presenting a phytosanitary certificate without the FSSAI-prescribed GM-free attestation, treating the two as equivalent documents. For shipments dispatched on or after 01-03-2021, a phytosanitary certificate is accepted in lieu of a standalone non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate only if it contains all information and declarations in the format issued vide the FSSAI order dated 21-08-2021 — a certificate that merely states 'GM-free' without the prescribed declarations will be rejected at e-Sanchit verification, resulting in consignment detention and demurrage.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 1205 90 00 require BIS certification?

No, rape or colza seeds 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 a mandatory non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate and Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage phytosanitary clearance as concurrent requirements.

Is the non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate required for all consignments or only those above a threshold?

The requirement applies to all consignments dispatched from the exporting country on or after 01-03-2021, with no quantity or value threshold; a GM-free attestation on the phytosanitary or health certificate is accepted provided it meets the format prescribed in the FSSAI order dated 21-08-2021.

What happens if the label does not fully comply with FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 at the time of arrival?

Specific labelling deficiencies — including per-serve RDA percentage contributions and expiry date additions made by the manufacturer — may be rectified at a customs bonded warehouse before inspection, by affixing a single non-detachable sticker, per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023; missing mandatory PGA clearances cannot be similarly rectified and will result in consignment detention.

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