Sugar cane

Fresh, chilled, frozen or dried sugar cane

FSSAI CLEARANCE · PPQS CLEARANCE

HSN 1212 93 00 (Sugar cane) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence requirements and a mandatory non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate under the FSSAI order dated 03-12-2020, with consignments permitted only through designated food-import ports under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage (PPQS) phytosanitary clearance applies as a concurrent overlay, and the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) administers the overarching ITC (HS) import policy condition.

What this is

HSN code

1212 93 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 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. Both documents must be verified by the proper officer before out-of-charge is granted.
FSSAI Import Licence — document code 911001; Specimen Copy of Label — document code 0110FS; CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022
2
Ensure the non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate is obtained for every consignment dispatched from the exporting country on or after 01-03-2021. A non-GM origin cum GM-free attestation on the phytosanitary or health certificate is accepted in lieu, provided it contains all information and declarations prescribed in the FSSAI order dated 21-08-2021.
FSSAI order file no. 1-1764/FSSAI/Imports/2018(Part1) dated 03-12-2020; FSSAI order dated 21-08-2021
3
Route the consignment through a designated food-import entry point in compliance with General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Labelling deficiencies permissible for port rectification under CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus must be corrected by affixing a single non-detachable sticker at a customs bonded warehouse before visual inspection, without altering the original label.
General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of ITC (HS) 2022; CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023; FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022 under file no. Import/TFM/APEX/2022-FSSAI; FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022

A word of counsel

The most frequent error on this tariff line is dispatching the consignment before securing the non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate — or relying on a phytosanitary attestation that omits one or more of the declarations required by the FSSAI order of 21-08-2021. An incomplete GM-free attestation does not constitute compliance; the consignment will be detained at the designated port pending a conforming certificate, and demurrage accrues from the date of arrival regardless of whether the deficiency is administrative or substantive.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 1212 93 00 require BIS certification?

No, sugar cane falls outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers this product. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with a mandatory non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate and PPQS phytosanitary clearance as concurrent requirements.

Is the non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate required for all shipments or only those dispatched after a specific date?

The requirement applies to consignments dispatched from the exporting country on or after 01-03-2021, per the FSSAI order file no. 1-1764/FSSAI/Imports/2018(Part1) dated 03-12-2020; consignments dispatched before that date are not subject to the GM-free certification mandate.

Can labelling deficiencies be rectified at the port for sugar cane consignments?

Yes, but only for the specific categories of labelling information identified in CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 and the FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022; rectification must be carried out at a customs bonded warehouse by affixing a single non-detachable sticker before the authorised officer's inspection, and a missing FSSAI licence or GM-free certificate is not rectifiable under this dispensation.

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