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Seaweeds

Seaweeds and other algae for human consumption

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 1212 29 10 (Seaweeds) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence requirements under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with mandatory e-Sanchit documentation at the bill of entry. Consignments must enter through designated food-import ports in compliance with General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022, administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and enforced by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).

What this is
HSN code
1212 29 10
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. 1
    Obtain and upload the FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and a Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry. Customs out-of-charge will not be granted until both documents are verified as uploaded by the proper officer.
    CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023
  2. 2
    Route the consignment exclusively through one of the designated food-import entry points mandated under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Arrival at a non-designated port renders the consignment liable to detention pending re-routing or re-export.
    General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022 · CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus dated 08-02-2023
  3. 3
    Ensure label compliance with FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 before visual inspection. Rectifiable labelling deficiencies — including per-serve RDA percentage and expiry date — may be corrected at the customs bonded warehouse by affixing a single non-detachable sticker next to the principal display panel without altering the original label, as specified under CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus.
    CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022 under F.No.Import/TFM/Apex/2022-FSSAI · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022
A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is assuming that label deficiencies can be corrected freely at any stage. The rectifiable-labelling dispensation under Regulation 6 of FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017 and CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus applies only to specified categories of information — per-serve RDA contribution and expiry date — and only where the correction is made by affixing a non-detachable sticker at the customs bonded warehouse before the authorised officer's inspection, not after. An attempt to relabel post-inspection or outside the bonded warehouse invalidates the dispensation and exposes the consignment to rejection and re-export.

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Frequently asked
Does HSN 1212 29 10 require BIS certification?
No, seaweeds classified under HSN 1212 29 10 fall outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers this product family. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with designated food-import port restrictions under General Note 4(D) of the ITC (HS) 2022.
Which document codes must be uploaded in e-Sanchit for seaweed imports?
The FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) must both be uploaded in e-Sanchit; customs out-of-charge is withheld until the proper officer confirms both uploads, per CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs and Instruction 09/2023-Cus.
Can labelling deficiencies on imported seaweed consignments be rectified at the port?
Yes, but only for the specified categories — per-serve RDA percentage contribution and expiry date alongside best-before date — and solely by affixing a single non-detachable sticker at the customs bonded warehouse before inspection by the FSSAI-authorised officer, as permitted under CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus and the FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022.
Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: FSSAI / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.
Related
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