Of seed quality

Safflower seeds of seed quality (Carthamus tinctorius)

FSSAI CLEARANCE · PPQS CLEARANCE

HSN 1207 60 10 (Safflower seeds of seed quality) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence requirements 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 as a concurrent overlay, and the tariff line is Restricted under ITC (HS) policy condition no. 4 of Chapter 12 administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), with import permitted only through designated food-import entry points.

What this is

HSN code

1207 60 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 (high-risk food regime, non-GM certification)

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Non-GM origin 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
Obtain the FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and ensure a Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) is prepared before dispatch. Both documents must be uploaded in e-Sanchit prior to filing the bill of entry; the proper officer must verify these uploads before granting out-of-charge.
FSSAI order dated 03-12-2020 (File No. 1-1764/FSSAI/Imports/2018(Part1)) · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022
2
For consignments dispatched from the exporting country on or after 1 March 2021, obtain a non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate. FSSAI also accepts a non-GM origin cum GM-free attestation on the phytosanitary or health certificate for each consignment, provided it contains all information and declarations per the format issued vide 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 only through a designated food-import entry point per General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022, and confirm compliance with ITC (HS) policy condition no. 4 of Chapter 12. Labelling deficiencies that are rectifiable under FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 must be remedied at customs-bonded warehouses before inspection by affixing a single non-detachable sticker without altering the original label.
General Note 4(D), ITC (HS) Schedule I, 2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · FSSAI clarification order dated 18-11-2022

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating the FSSAI Import Licence as the sole documentary requirement and overlooking the non-GM origin cum GM-free certification obligation. For consignments dispatched on or after 1 March 2021, a missing or insufficiently detailed non-GM certificate — whether as a standalone document or as an attestation on the phytosanitary certificate — will prevent out-of-charge regardless of FSSAI licence validity, exposing the consignment to detention, demurrage, and ground rent at the designated port.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 1207 60 10 require BIS certification?

No, safflower seeds of seed quality fall 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 no. 4 of Chapter 12.

Can the non-GM origin cum GM-free declaration be included on the phytosanitary certificate rather than as a separate document?

Yes. FSSAI accepts a non-GM origin cum GM-free attestation on the phytosanitary or health certificate for each consignment, provided it contains all information and declarations specified in the format issued vide FSSAI order dated 21-08-2021; a separate standalone certificate is not required in that case.

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

Specified labelling deficiencies may be rectified at customs-bonded warehouses before inspection, by affixing a single non-detachable sticker next to the principal display panel without altering the original label, per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 and the FSSAI clarification order dated 18-11-2022; non-rectifiable deficiencies result in consignment detention.

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