Kokam

Kokam seeds, oleaginous fruit for oil extraction

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 1207 99 40 (Kokam) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence and labelling compliance under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, including mandatory e-Sanchit upload of the FSSAI Import Licence and specimen label before out-of-charge. General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022 restricts import to designated food-import entry points, and DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 confirms that kokam, as a spice falling under Appendix 4J, is ineligible for import under Duty Free Import Authorisation under any circumstances.

What this is

HSN code

1207 99 40

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
Food import entry-point declaration to CBIC

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 the FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and prepare a specimen copy of the product label (document code 0110FS) compliant with the FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020. Both documents must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before the bill of entry is filed; customs out-of-charge will not be granted until the proper officer verifies their presence.
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
2
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. Any labelling deficiency identified at port — including per-serve RDA contributions and expiry date — may be rectified by affixing a single non-detachable sticker at a customs bonded warehouse prior to inspection, without altering the original label.
General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of ITC (HS) 2022 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022 · FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022
3
Do not attempt to import kokam under a Duty Free Import Authorisation. DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 confirms that all spices, including kokam, fall under Appendix 4J and are subject to a pre-import condition, rendering DFIA use impermissible irrespective of intended end use.
DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is assuming that kokam, classified as an oil seed, is outside the spice-import restrictions administered by DGFT. DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 expressly confirms that kokam and all other spices under Appendix 4J carry a pre-import condition, making any DFIA-based import scheme impermissible regardless of end use; consignments presented under DFIA will be detained and the authorisation disallowed, attracting DGFT enforcement and potential confiscation.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 1207 99 40 require BIS certification?

No, kokam is 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 designated food-import entry-point restrictions under General Note 4(D) of the ITC (HS) 2022 and DGFT policy controls under Appendix 4J.

Which documents must be uploaded in e-Sanchit for a kokam import shipment?

The FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and the specimen copy of label (document code 0110FS) are mandatory e-Sanchit uploads; out-of-charge is withheld until the proper officer confirms both are present, per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023.

Can kokam be imported under a Duty Free Import Authorisation scheme?

No. DGFT Policy Circular 05/2025 dated 22-09-2025 confirms that kokam, as a spice under Appendix 4J, is subject to a pre-import condition and is ineligible for import under DFIA under any circumstances, irrespective of intended end use.

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