Of seed quality

Sunflower seeds of seed quality, whether or not broken

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 1206 00 10 (Sunflower seeds of seed quality) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence requirements under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with import classified as Free under the ITC (HS) policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) but subject to mandatory quarantine conditions. Consignments must enter only through designated food-import entry points under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022, with FSSAI Import Licence and specimen label uploaded in e-Sanchit before out-of-charge.

What this is

HSN code

1206 00 10

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

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Specimen copy of label from FSSAI
Quarantine compliance declaration to DGFT

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 upload it in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry. A specimen copy of the label (document code 0110FS) must also be uploaded; the proper officer will verify both documents are present before granting out-of-charge.
CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022 under F.No.Import/TFM/Apex/2022-FSSAI
2
Route the consignment only through a designated food-import entry point as required under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. The quarantine condition attached to the Free import status is a binding overlay; non-compliance at the port of entry renders the consignment liable to detention pending quarantine clearance.
General Note 4(D) of Schedule I, ITC (HS) 2022 · CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus dated 08-02-2023
3
Ensure labelling complies with the FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020. Permissible rectification of specified labelling deficiencies — including per-serve RDA contribution and expiry/best-before date — may 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, before 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 · FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating the Free import status as an absence of formality. The quarantine condition is mandatory and non-waivable; a consignment arriving without a current FSSAI Import Licence uploaded in e-Sanchit will be held at the designated entry point, accumulating demurrage and ground rent until the clearance is regularised or the consignment is re-exported. Importers should also confirm that the foreign manufacturing or processing facility is not subject to any FSSAI facility-registration requirement applicable to the seed-quality category before the vessel is dispatched.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 1206 00 10 require BIS certification?

No, sunflower seeds of seed quality 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 quarantine condition and FSSAI Import Licence requirement administered alongside the DGFT ITC (HS) Free import policy.

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

Two documents are mandatory at the bill of entry: FSSAI Import Licence under document code 911001 and the specimen copy of label under document code 0110FS, per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 and the FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022.

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

Yes, but only for the categories of deficiency permitted under CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs — specifically per-serve RDA contribution and expiry or best-before date information — and rectification must be carried out at a customs bonded warehouse by affixing a single non-detachable sticker before the authorised officer's inspection, without altering the original label.

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