Lucerne (alfalfa) seeds

Lucerne (alfalfa) seeds for sowing

FSSAI CLEARANCE · PPQS CLEARANCE

HSN 1209 21 00 (Lucerne (alfalfa) seeds) is subject to Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage (PPQS) import permit requirements under the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003, and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) food-safety clearance including a mandatory non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate. Import is classified as Free under the ITC (HS) policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), but remains conditional on full PGA compliance before out-of-charge.

What this is

HSN code

1209 21 00

Chapter

12 · Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits; miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruit; industrial or medicinal plants

Primary regulator

PPQS · Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003

Customs documentation

Import permit from PPQS
Phytosanitary Certificate from PPQS
Non-GM certificate 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 a plant quarantine import permit from Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage before shipment. The permit is issued under the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003, and the Phytosanitary Certificate (document code 851000) must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before customs out-of-charge.
Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003 · ITC (HS) import policy · document code 851000
2
For consignments dispatched from the exporting country on or after 1 March 2021, ensure a non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate accompanies the shipment. A GM-free attestation on the phytosanitary or health certificate is also acceptable, provided it contains all information and declarations specified in the FSSAI order dated 21-08-2021.
FSSAI order dated 21-08-2021 · FSSAI order file no. 1-1764/FSSAI/Imports/2018(Part1) dated 03-12-2020
3
Confirm compliance with FSSAI labelling requirements under the FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020. Rectifiable labelling deficiencies — including per-serve RDA contribution and expiry date — may be corrected at customs bonded warehouses before inspection, by affixing a single non-detachable sticker without altering the original label.
CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating the PPQS import permit as the sole clearance and overlooking the GM-free certification requirement that attaches independently to each consignment dispatched on or after 1 March 2021. A consignment arriving with a valid phytosanitary certificate but without the non-GM attestation — either as a standalone certificate or as a declaration on the phytosanitary certificate in the prescribed FSSAI format — will be detained pending documentary compliance, accumulating demurrage and ground rent at the designated port.

Need a regulatory steer on this product?

Speak to a regulatory counsel about your specific HSN, IS, and supplier situation.

Speak to an Expert

Frequently asked

Does HSN 1209 21 00 require BIS certification?

No, lucerne (alfalfa) seeds for sowing fall outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage under the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003, and by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with ITC (HS) Free-import status subject to full PGA compliance.

Is the non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate required for every consignment?

Yes, for all consignments dispatched from the exporting country on or after 1 March 2021; the certificate must follow the format prescribed in the FSSAI order dated 21-08-2021, or the attestation may appear directly on the phytosanitary certificate provided all required declarations are included.

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

Certain labelling deficiencies — specifically per-serve RDA contribution and expiry date information — may be rectified at customs bonded warehouses before visual inspection, by affixing a single non-detachable sticker, per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023; however, missing PGA clearances such as the non-GM certificate or the PPQS import permit are not rectifiable in this manner.

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