Other

Medicinal, perfumery and insecticidal plants, parts, seeds (dried or fresh)

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 1211 90 39 (Other medicinal, perfumery and insecticidal plants and plant parts) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with consignments required to comply with FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017 and FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020. Import entry is restricted to designated food-import ports under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022, with labelling and documentation verified by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) at the bill of entry.

What this is

HSN code

1211 90 39

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 / FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Specimen copy of label from FSSAI
Designated-port 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 upload it in e-Sanchit along with a Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) before filing the bill of entry. The proper officer will verify both documents are present before granting out-of-charge.
CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus 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 exclusively through one of the designated food-import entry points. Verify that any labelling deficiencies listed under CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus are rectified at the customs bonded warehouse using a single non-detachable sticker affixed next to the principal display panel, without altering original label information, before visual inspection by the authorised officer.
General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of ITC (HS) 2022 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022 · FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 · FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017 Reg. 6
3
For consignments of clove stem specifically: until FSSAI notifies a dedicated standard, testing must be conducted against safety parameters (horizontal standards) and volatile oil content on a dry basis of not less than 8.5 per cent by v/w, per FSSR 2.9.6(1) applicable to cloves whole. Document and present test results at the port before out-of-charge.
FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating the FSSAI Import Licence upload as the sole labelling obligation and overlooking the port-level rectification regime. Where per-serve RDA percentages, expiry dates, or best-before information are absent or non-compliant with FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020, rectification must occur before visual inspection — not after — and only via a non-detachable sticker; consignments presented for re-inspection with altered or overwritten original labels face confiscation rather than conditional release.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 1211 90 39 require BIS certification?

No, medicinal and perfumery plant materials under this tariff line fall outside 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 compliance obligations under FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017 and the designated-port requirement under the ITC (HS) 2022 policy.

Which document codes 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 both mandatory and must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before out-of-charge, per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023.

What testing standard applies to imported clove stem under this HSN when no dedicated FSSAI standard exists?

Clove stem is tested against horizontal safety parameters and a volatile oil content of not less than 8.5 per cent by v/w on a dry basis, applying FSSR 2.9.6(1) for cloves whole by analogy, per FSSAI's order communicated via Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022.

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