Agar-agar

Agar-agar, vegetable-derived gelling and thickening agent

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 1302 31 00 (Agar-agar) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with food-import entry restricted to designated ports under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) policy controls and Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) customs overlay apply as additional clearance requirements.

What this is

HSN code

1302 31 00

Chapter

13 · Lac; gums, resins and other vegetable saps and extracts

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Phytosanitary Certificate from exporting country
Specimen copy of label from importer

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
Obtain an FSSAI Import Licence and ensure it is uploaded in e-Sanchit under document code 911001 before filing the bill of entry. The Phytosanitary Certificate (document code 851000) and Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) must also be uploaded in e-Sanchit prior to customs out-of-charge.
FSSAI Import Licence document code 911001 · Phytosanitary Certificate document code 851000 · Specimen Copy of Label document code 0110FS
2
Route the consignment exclusively through one of the designated food-import entry points in compliance with General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Consignments arriving at a non-designated port are liable to detention pending re-routing or confiscation.
General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of ITC (HS) 2022 · CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus dated 08-02-2023
3
Verify that all labelling complies with the FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020. Where permissible labelling deficiencies exist, rectification must be carried out at the customs-bonded warehouse by affixing a single non-detachable sticker next to the principal display panel, without altering the original label, before visual inspection by the authorised FSSAI officer.
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

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating the FSSAI Import Licence as the sole clearance requirement and overlooking the Phytosanitary Certificate, which is a mandatory independent document uploaded under a separate document code (851000) in e-Sanchit. A consignment that arrives with a valid FSSAI licence but without an uploaded Phytosanitary Certificate will be held at port pending out-of-charge, accruing demurrage and ground rent; the FSSAI rectifiable-labelling dispensation does not cure a missing Phytosanitary Certificate.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 1302 31 00 require BIS certification?

No, agar-agar is not covered by any BIS Quality Control Order. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with FSSAI Import Licence, Phytosanitary Certificate, and Specimen Copy of Label mandated at the bill-of-entry stage.

Which ports are designated for import of agar-agar under this tariff line?

Import must comply with General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022, which restricts food imports to designated entry points; the current list of permitted ports is published by CBIC and should be confirmed before shipment.

Can labelling deficiencies be rectified after the consignment arrives at port?

Yes, but only within the scope permitted under CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022 and the FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022: rectification must be done at the customs-bonded warehouse by affixing a single non-detachable sticker next to the principal display panel, subject to verification by the authorised FSSAI officer.

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