Lard

Lard, rendered pig fat for edible use

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 1501 10 00 (Lard) is Prohibited under the ITC (HS) import policy administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), making this tariff line one of the most restrictive food categories in Schedule I. Where an import is nonetheless attempted, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence and compliance with the designated food-import port regime under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022 are mandatory.

What this is

HSN code

1501 10 00

Chapter

15 · Animal or vegetable fats and oils; prepared edible fats; animal or vegetable waxes

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (Prohibited import — ITC (HS) policy)

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Health Certificate from exporting authority
Specimen label copy 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
Verify at the pre-import stage that the ITC (HS) Prohibited status under DGFT policy categorically bars commercial import of lard under this tariff line. Any bill of entry filed without a valid legal basis for an exemption will be detained and the consignment is liable to re-export or confiscation.
ITC (HS) Import Policy — Prohibited classification, Chapter 15 · General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of ITC (HS) 2022
2
Where the import is presented under a permissible exemption channel, ensure the FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001), Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS), and Health Certificate (document code 6360AQ) are uploaded in e-Sanchit before the bill of entry is filed. The Proper Officer must verify these documents 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
3
Route any permissible consignment exclusively through one of the designated food-import ports notified under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of ITC (HS) 2022. Confirm that labelling complies with FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020; rectifiable labelling deficiencies may be remedied at a Customs bonded warehouse before visual inspection by the authorised officer.
General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of ITC (HS) 2022 · FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022

A word of counsel

The decisive trap on this tariff line is treating FSSAI licensing as a pathway around the ITC (HS) Prohibited classification: an FSSAI Import Licence does not override a Prohibited import policy status, and the two controls operate on different legal planes. Filing a bill of entry in reliance on the FSSAI licence alone — without a specific DGFT exemption or government-to-government carve-out authorising the import — exposes the consignment to seizure and the importer to monetary penalty under the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 1501 10 00 require BIS certification?

No, lard is not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, subject to the overriding ITC (HS) Prohibited import classification administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

Which document codes must be uploaded in e-Sanchit for lard consignments where import is otherwise permitted?

Three documents are mandatory: FSSAI Import Licence (911001), Specimen Copy of Label (0110FS), and Health Certificate (6360AQ), all to be uploaded before the bill of entry is presented for out-of-charge per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023.

Can labelling deficiencies for lard be rectified at the port of import?

Yes, but only for the specific deficiencies listed under the FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 and the FSSAI rectifiable-labelling dispensation; rectification must be carried out at a Customs bonded warehouse before the authorised officer's visual inspection, using a single non-detachable sticker that does not alter the original label.

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