Sugar beet

Sugar beet, fresh, chilled, frozen or dried

FSSAI CLEARANCE · PPQS CLEARANCE

HSN 1212 91 00 (Sugar beet) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence and a non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate requirement under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, for all consignments dispatched on or after 1 March 2021. Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage (PPQS) phytosanitary clearance applies as a concurrent overlay, and import is permitted only through the 79 designated food-import entry points under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022.

What this is

HSN code

1212 91 00

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 (high-risk food, GM-free regime)

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate from FSSAI
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 FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) before filing the bill of entry, and ensure the FSSAI Import Licence and Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) are uploaded in e-Sanchit. The out-of-charge officer will verify both uploads before granting clearance.
FSSAI order dated 03-12-2020 (File No. 1-1764/FSSAI/Imports/2018(Part1)) · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022
2
Obtain a non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate for each consignment dispatched on or after 1 March 2021. A non-GM origin cum GM-free attestation on the phytosanitary or health certificate is accepted provided it contains all information and declarations in the format issued by FSSAI. Route the consignment through a PPQS-notified entry point for phytosanitary clearance.
FSSAI order dated 21-08-2021 · FSSAI order dated 03-12-2020 (File No. 1-1764/FSSAI/Imports/2018(Part1))
3
Ensure import entry is made only through one of the 79 designated food-import ports under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Any labelling deficiencies permitted for rectification must be remedied at the customs bonded warehouse by affixing a single non-detachable sticker before the authorised officer's inspection, per the rectifiable-labelling dispensation.
CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022 · FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022 (F.No.Import/TFM/Apex/2022-FSSAI)

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is submitting a standalone non-GM free certificate rather than ensuring the attestation is either a separate document in the prescribed FSSAI format or appears explicitly on the phytosanitary or health certificate with all required declarations — an attestation that omits any element of the 21 August 2021 format is treated as non-compliant and triggers consignment detention pending re-documentation. Importers who dispatch before confirming the certificate format frequently face port detention and demurrage charges while awaiting a corrected document from the exporting country.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 1212 91 00 require BIS certification?

No, sugar beet falls 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 PPQS phytosanitary clearance and a mandatory non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate for consignments dispatched on or after 1 March 2021.

Is the non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate required for all origins or only certain countries?

The requirement applies to all consignments dispatched from any exporting country on or after 1 March 2021; a separate certificate in the FSSAI-prescribed format or an attestation on the phytosanitary or health certificate containing all requisite declarations is mandatory without country-specific exemptions.

What are the permitted rectifiable labelling deficiencies at the port of import?

Under CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 and the FSSAI order dated 18 November 2022, per-serve percentage contribution to recommended dietary allowance and date of expiry alongside best-before date may be rectified at the customs bonded warehouse by non-detachable sticker, provided the information is supplied by the manufacturer and verified by the authorised officer; missing PGA clearance documents are not rectifiable under this dispensation.

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