Betel leaves

Betel leaves, imported fresh vegetable produce

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 1404 90 40 (Betel leaves) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence and labelling compliance under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, including the FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017 and FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020. Phytosanitary certification and designated food-import port restrictions under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022 apply as additional clearance requirements administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).

What this is

HSN code

1404 90 40

Chapter

14 · Vegetable plaiting materials; vegetable products not elsewhere specified

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Phytosanitary Certificate from exporter
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 a valid FSSAI Import Licence and ensure it is uploaded in e-Sanchit under document code 911001 before filing the bill of entry. The proper officer will verify this document on PGA-facilitated bills before granting out-of-charge.
FSSAI Import Licence document code 911001 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022
2
Upload the Phytosanitary Certificate (document code 851000) and the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) in e-Sanchit at the bill of entry. Label deficiencies permissible for port rectification — including per-serve RDA contribution and expiry date — must be corrected via a single non-detachable sticker affixed before visual inspection at a customs bonded warehouse.
CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022 · FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022
3
Route the consignment only through one of the designated food-import entry points notified under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Non-designated port arrival 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 dated 08-02-2023

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating rectifiable labelling deficiencies as a blanket cure for non-compliant labels: the rectification dispensation under the FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 applies only to the specific fields listed in CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs — per-serve RDA contribution and expiry date — and only where the correction is made by the manufacturer itself and verified by the authorised officer. Labels missing mandatory information beyond those prescribed fields are not rectifiable at port and the consignment faces detention or re-export. Ensure full label compliance is verified and certified before shipment, not after.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 1404 90 40 require BIS certification?

No, betel leaves are 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 phytosanitary and designated-port requirements as concurrent overlays.

Which e-Sanchit document codes are mandatory at the bill of entry for betel leaves?

Three document codes are required: FSSAI Import Licence (911001), Phytosanitary Certificate (851000), and Specimen Copy of Label (0110FS), all to be uploaded in e-Sanchit before out-of-charge is granted.

Can labelling deficiencies be corrected at the port for imported betel leaves?

Only the specific fields permitted under CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs and CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus are rectifiable at customs bonded warehouses — namely per-serve RDA contribution and expiry date — by affixing a single non-detachable sticker; all other mandatory labelling information must be compliant before arrival.

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