Poppy seeds

Poppy seeds, oil seeds and oleaginous fruits

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 1207 91 00 (Poppy seeds) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence requirements under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with import Restricted under ITC (HS) policy condition no. 3 of Chapter 12 administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). Consignments are permitted only through designated food-import entry points under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022, and poppy seeds — classified as spices under Appendix 4J — are ineligible for import under Duty Free Import Authorisation.

What this is

HSN code

1207 91 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

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Specimen copy of label from FSSAI
ITC (HS) policy condition from 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 ensure the specimen copy of label (document code 0110FS) is uploaded in e-Sanchit before the bill of entry is filed. The proper officer will verify both documents before granting out-of-charge on PGA-facilitated bills.
FSSAI Import Licence document code 911001 · Label document code 0110FS · ITC (HS) policy condition no. 3, Chapter 12
2
Route the consignment through a designated food-import entry point in compliance with General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Confirm that any labelling deficiencies — including per-serve dietary contribution data and expiry/best-before dates — are rectified at a customs bonded warehouse by affixing a single non-detachable sticker before visual inspection by the authorised FSSAI officer.
CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022 under F.No.Import/TFM/Apex/2022-FSSAI
3
Do not attempt to import poppy seeds under a Duty Free Import Authorisation. DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 confirms that all spices, including poppy seeds listed in Appendix 4J, carry a pre-import condition and are ineligible for import under DFIA irrespective of intended end use.
DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 · ITC (HS) Appendix 4J

A word of counsel

The most commonly encountered trap on this tariff line is the assumption that a Duty Free Import Authorisation removes the Restricted-import status for poppy seeds. DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 forecloses this entirely: spices in Appendix 4J carry a pre-import condition that makes DFIA inapplicable under any circumstances, including manufacturing or export-linked end use. An import attempted under DFIA will be treated as an unauthorised Restricted-import, attracting confiscation and monetary penalty under the Customs Act, 1962.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 1207 91 00 require BIS certification?

No, poppy seeds are not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers oil seeds or oleaginous fruits. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with import Restricted under ITC (HS) policy condition no. 3 of Chapter 12 administered by DGFT.

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

The FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and the specimen copy of label (document code 0110FS) are mandatory uploads in e-Sanchit; the proper officer will not grant out-of-charge until both are verified.

Can poppy seeds be imported under a Duty Free Import Authorisation for use as a manufacturing input?

No. DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 explicitly confirms that all spices, including poppy seeds listed under Appendix 4J, are subject to a pre-import condition and are ineligible for import under DFIA irrespective of intended end use.

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