Lucerne (alfalfa) meal and pellets

Lucerne (alfalfa) meal and pellets, forage product

FSSAI CLEARANCE · PPQS CLEARANCE

HSN 1214 10 00 (Lucerne (alfalfa) meal and pellets) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) import clearance under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, including a mandatory non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate for all consignments dispatched on or after 1 March 2021. Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage (PPQS) phytosanitary clearance applies concurrently, with Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) labelling-compliance oversight at the port of entry.

What this is

HSN code

1214 10 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

Customs documentation

Import clearance from FSSAI
Phytosanitary certificate from PPQS
Non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate 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: Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.

Compliance steps

1
Obtain FSSAI import clearance before filing the bill of entry. For consignments dispatched on or after 1 March 2021, a non-GM origin cum GM-free certificate — or an equivalent attestation on the phytosanitary or health certificate containing all information in the FSSAI-prescribed format — is mandatory. Upload the certificate in e-Sanchit before out-of-charge.
FSSAI order dated 03-12-2020 under file F.N. 1-1764/FSSAI/Imports/2018(Part1) · FSSAI order dated 21-08-2021
2
Ensure PPQS phytosanitary clearance is obtained and the phytosanitary certificate is uploaded in e-Sanchit. The PPQS clearance is independent of the FSSAI food-safety NOC; both must be in place before the out-of-charge officer releases the consignment.
Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage regulatory overlay · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023
3
Verify that labelling complies with FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020. Rectifiable labelling deficiencies — including per-serve dietary contribution data and best-before date — may be corrected at customs-bonded warehouses before inspection by affixing a single non-detachable sticker, without altering the original label.
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

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is presenting a phytosanitary certificate that carries a GM-free attestation in non-standard form. FSSAI requires that the attestation contain all the information specified in the format issued vide the FSSAI order dated 21-08-2021; a generic phytosanitary certificate with an informal GM-free notation is insufficient and will result in consignment detention pending FSSAI re-verification. Confirm the exporting-country authority has issued the attestation in the prescribed format before the vessel departs.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 1214 10 00 require BIS certification?

No, lucerne meal and pellets fall outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers this forage product family. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with concurrent Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage phytosanitary clearance.

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

The requirement applies to all consignments dispatched from any exporting country on or after 1 March 2021, per the FSSAI order dated 03-12-2020; the attestation may appear as a standalone certificate or as an endorsement on the phytosanitary or health certificate, provided it contains all information in the FSSAI-prescribed format of 21-08-2021.

Can labelling deficiencies be corrected at the Indian port after the consignment arrives?

Yes, but only for the rectifiable deficiencies listed in CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus and the FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022 — such as per-serve dietary data and best-before date — and correction must be made at a customs-bonded warehouse before inspection, by affixing a single non-detachable sticker without altering the original label.

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