Beet sugar

Beet sugar in solid form

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 1701 12 00 (Beet sugar) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence requirements under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with all import contracts under ITC (HS) heading 1701 compulsorily registered with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) administers the Restricted-import policy overlay, and the Duty Free Import Authorisation scheme is not available for sugar imports under this heading.

What this is

HSN code

1701 12 00

Chapter

17 · Sugars and sugar confectionery

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Specimen copy of label from FSSAI
APEDA contract registration from APEDA

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
Register the import contract with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority before shipment. All sugar import contracts under ITC (HS) heading 1701 are subject to compulsory APEDA registration per APEDA Trade Notice Sugar/Import/01/2019 dated 3 July 2019.
APEDA Trade Notice Sugar/Import/01/2019 dated 03-07-2019
2
Ensure the FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and a Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) are uploaded in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry. Compliance with General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022 is mandatory regarding designated food-import entry points.
CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022 · General Note 4(D) of ITC (HS) 2022
3
Verify that labelling meets FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 requirements. Where rectifiable labelling deficiencies exist, correction must be carried out at a customs bonded warehouse before visual inspection by the authorised officer, using a single non-detachable sticker affixed next to the principal display panel without altering the original label.
FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is dispatching a consignment without completing APEDA contract registration, which is a pre-shipment obligation independent of the FSSAI Import Licence. A bill of entry presented without evidence of APEDA registration will be detained at the port regardless of FSSAI clearance status, attracting demurrage and ground rent. Additionally, the Duty Free Import Authorisation scheme is explicitly excluded for sugar under this heading and any attempt to claim it will trigger duty recovery and DGFT enforcement.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 1701 12 00 require BIS certification?

No, beet sugar falls outside 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, with compulsory APEDA contract registration and DGFT-administered import policy conditions applying concurrently.

Is APEDA contract registration required before or after shipment?

Registration with APEDA is a pre-shipment obligation applicable to all sugar import contracts under ITC (HS) heading 1701, per APEDA Trade Notice Sugar/Import/01/2019 dated 3 July 2019; contracts not registered before dispatch remain non-compliant at the bill of entry stage.

Can the Duty Free Import Authorisation scheme be used to import beet sugar under this tariff line?

No. The DFIA scheme is explicitly unavailable for the import of raw sugar under ITC (HS) heading 1701, as per Para 4.25 of the Foreign Trade Policy 2015-20, and claiming it will attract duty recovery and DGFT-policy enforcement.

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