Ginseng roots

Ginseng roots, dried or fresh medicinal plant material

WCCB CLEARANCE

HSN 1211 20 00 (Ginseng roots) is subject to Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) oversight under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), with a mandatory CITES certificate required at the bill-of-entry stage. The CITES certificate must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before customs out-of-charge.

What this is

HSN code

1211 20 00

Chapter

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

Primary regulator

WCCB · CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species)

Customs documentation

CITES certificate from WCCB
e-Sanchit upload confirmation from CBIC

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

WCCBWCCB·Wildlife Crime Control Bureau

Compliance steps

1
Obtain a valid CITES certificate covering the ginseng root consignment from the exporting country's CITES Management Authority. Ensure the certificate is current and matches the consignment details before shipment.
CITES · WCCB as national CITES authority
2
Upload the CITES certificate (document code 626000) in e-Sanchit prior to filing the bill of entry. The customs proper officer will verify the 626000 document upload before granting out-of-charge; consignments without this upload will be detained pending PGA NOC routing.
Document code 626000 · e-Sanchit CCR requirement

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is shipping ginseng roots without confirming the species-specific CITES listing status: not all Panax species are listed identically under CITES Appendices, and a certificate issued for a wrong species or Appendix category is treated as a non-compliant document at the port. A detained consignment pending WCCB NOC resolution accumulates demurrage and ground rent at the designated customs station, and confiscation under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 remains a live enforcement outcome.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 1211 20 00 require BIS certification?

No, ginseng roots are not covered by any BIS Quality Control Order. Import is governed by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau under the CITES framework, with a mandatory CITES certificate (document code 626000) to be uploaded in e-Sanchit before customs out-of-charge.

Is the CITES certificate upload in e-Sanchit mandatory even when the bill is PGA-facilitated?

Yes. The customs proper officer is required to verify that document code 626000 has been uploaded in e-Sanchit before out-of-charge, regardless of whether the bill was routed through WCCB for a separate NOC.

What happens if the CITES certificate is missing or invalid at the time of customs examination?

A missing or invalid CITES certificate results in detention of the consignment pending WCCB NOC; repeated or wilful non-compliance may attract seizure and confiscation proceedings under applicable wildlife-trade enforcement provisions.

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