Indian katha

Indian katha, vegetable extract from catechu

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 1404 90 50 (Indian katha) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with phytosanitary certification and labelling compliance as concurrent requirements. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) apply General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022, restricting import to designated food-import entry points.

What this is

HSN code

1404 90 50

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 FSSAI

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 (document code 911001) before filing the bill of entry, and upload the FSSAI Import Licence along with the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) and the Phytosanitary Certificate (document code 851000) in e-Sanchit. The customs proper officer will verify these uploads before granting out-of-charge.
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
2
Route the consignment only through one of the designated food-import entry points in compliance with General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Arrival at a non-designated port 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
3
Ensure the product label complies with FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 before import. Where permissible labelling deficiencies exist, rectification must be performed at a customs bonded warehouse before visual inspection by the authorised FSSAI officer, by affixing a single non-detachable sticker next to the principal display panel without altering original label information.
CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022 · FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022 · FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017

A word of counsel

Indian katha is classified as a food product under the FSS framework, and the most common error is treating the phytosanitary certificate as a standalone clearance sufficient for out-of-charge. The Phytosanitary Certificate (code 851000) satisfies the plant-health overlay but does not substitute for the FSSAI Import Licence (code 911001) or the Specimen Copy of Label (code 0110FS); consignments with all three documents uploaded in e-Sanchit but lacking FSSAI NOC-routing remain detained until the authorised officer completes inspection.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 1404 90 50 require BIS certification?

No, Indian katha falls outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers this vegetable product. 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 certification, and designated-port requirements as operative obligations.

Which documents must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before out-of-charge for this tariff line?

Three documents are mandatory in e-Sanchit: the FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001), the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS), and the Phytosanitary Certificate (document code 851000), per CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs and CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus.

Can labelling deficiencies on Indian katha consignments be rectified at the port?

Yes, but only within the scope permitted under FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017 and the FSSAI clarification order dated 18-11-2022; rectification must occur at a customs bonded warehouse before inspection, using a single non-detachable sticker that does not alter the original label information.

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