Other

Seeds, fruit and spores for sowing, residual category

FSSAI CLEARANCE · PPQS CLEARANCE

HSN 1209 29 90 (Other seeds, fruit and spores for sowing) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence requirements under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and to Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage (PPQS) import-permit clearance under the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003. Import is classified as Free under the ITC (HS) policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), but remains conditional on the PPQS permit and compliance with General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022 for designated food-import entry points.

What this is

HSN code

1209 29 90

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 Licence from FSSAI
Phytosanitary Certificate from PPQS
Specimen copy of label 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 an import permit from Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage under the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003 before shipment. Despite the Free ITC (HS) policy status, import without a valid PPQS permit is not permitted and renders the consignment liable to detention or re-export.
Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003 · ITC (HS) policy condition, Chapter 12
2
Upload the FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001), Phytosanitary Certificate (document code 851000), and Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry. The customs proper officer must verify these uploads before granting out-of-charge.
CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023
3
Route the consignment through a designated food-import entry point per General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Rectifiable labelling deficiencies — including per-serve RDA contributions and expiry date — may be corrected at customs bonded warehouses by affixing a single non-detachable sticker, per FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022, before visual inspection by the authorised officer.
General Note 4(D), ITC (HS) 2022 · FSSAI order F.No. IMPORT/TFM/APEX/2022-FSSAI dated 18-11-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is assuming that the Free import-policy status dispenses with the PPQS import permit — it does not. The ITC (HS) Free designation governs only the licensing channel under DGFT; the PPQS permit under the Plant Quarantine Order is a parallel, mandatory biosecurity gate that applies regardless of policy category. A consignment arriving without the PPQS permit faces detention and potential re-export even when the FSSAI licence and phytosanitary certificate are otherwise in order.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 1209 29 90 require BIS certification?

No, seeds for sowing are not covered by any BIS Quality Control Order. Import is governed by Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage under the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003, with a concurrent FSSAI Import Licence requirement under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

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

Three documents are mandatory: FSSAI Import Licence (911001), Phytosanitary Certificate (851000), and Specimen Copy of Label (0110FS); all must be uploaded before the bill of entry is granted out-of-charge, per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023.

Can labelling deficiencies be corrected at the port for this HSN?

Yes, specified labelling deficiencies — including per-serve RDA percentage contributions and expiry-date format — may be rectified at customs bonded warehouses by affixing a single non-detachable sticker before inspection, under FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022 and CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus; this dispensation does not apply to missing PGA clearances.

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