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Other algae

Seaweeds and other algae for human consumption

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 1212 29 90 (Other algae) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with mandatory e-Sanchit upload of the FSSAI Import Licence and a specimen copy of the label before customs out-of-charge. Import entry points are restricted to designated food-import ports under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022, administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).

What this is
HSN code
1212 29 90
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
  • 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. 1
    Obtain the FSSAI Import Licence before filing the bill of entry and upload it in e-Sanchit under document code 911001. Also upload a specimen copy of the label (document code 0110fs) in e-Sanchit; customs out-of-charge will not be granted until both documents are verified.
    CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs 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. 2
    Route the consignment only through a designated food-import entry point compliant with 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
  3. 3
    Ensure the import label meets the requirements of the FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020. Rectifiable labelling deficiencies — including per-serve percentage contribution to recommended dietary allowance and date of expiry alongside best-before date — may be corrected at customs bonded warehouses by affixing a single non-detachable sticker on the principal display panel, without altering original label information, before inspection by the authorised FSSAI officer.
    CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022, Para 2(i) · FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022 · FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020
A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating the FSSAI Import Licence as the only clearance requirement and overlooking the label-compliance obligation at the port. Rectification of labelling deficiencies is permitted only within the prescribed scope of the FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 and must be completed before FSSAI visual inspection — not after. A consignment held for labelling defects beyond the rectifiable categories is subject to re-export or confiscation, not merely rectification.

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Frequently asked
Does HSN 1212 29 90 require BIS certification?
No, other algae classified under this tariff line are not within 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 FSSAI Import Licence and label-compliance requirements applying at the designated food-import port.
Which documents must be uploaded in e-Sanchit for this tariff line?
The FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and a specimen copy of the label (document code 0110fs) must both be uploaded in e-Sanchit before the customs officer grants out-of-charge, per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023.
Can labelling deficiencies be corrected after the consignment arrives at the port?
Only the specific categories of labelling deficiencies permitted under CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs and the FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 may be rectified at a customs bonded warehouse; rectification must occur before FSSAI visual inspection, and deficiencies outside the prescribed list cannot be rectified and may lead to re-export or confiscation.
Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: FSSAI / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.
Related
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