Other

Cane sugar specified under Sub-heading Note 2, other

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 1701 13 90 (cane sugar specified in Sub-heading Note 2 to Chapter 17, residual category) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence requirement under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with mandatory e-Sanchit document upload before out-of-charge. All import contracts under ITC (HS) code 1701 must additionally be registered with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), and consignments must enter only through designated food-import ports under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022.

What this is

HSN code

1701 13 90

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 import contract registration

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 filing the bill of entry. All sugar import contracts under ITC (HS) code 1701 are compulsorily subject to this registration requirement.
APEDA Trade Notice Sugar/Import/01/2019 dated 03-07-2019
2
Obtain the FSSAI Import Licence and upload both the FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry. Customs out-of-charge will not be granted until both documents are verified in e-Sanchit.
CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022; CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023
3
Route the consignment only through a designated food-import entry point compliant with General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Ensure labelling deficiencies permissible for rectification under FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 are corrected at the customs bonded warehouse before visual inspection, 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 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022; CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is overlooking the APEDA import-contract registration as a pre-shipment obligation distinct from the FSSAI Import Licence. A consignment arriving with a current FSSAI licence but without APEDA registration is non-compliant from the point of contract conclusion, not merely at the port — and retroactive registration after vessel departure does not cure the original breach. Confirm APEDA registration before placing the purchase order, not at the bill-of-entry stage.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 1701 13 90 require BIS certification?

No, cane sugar under this tariff line is not subject to 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 mandatory APEDA import-contract registration and compliance with designated food-import entry points under General Note 4(D) of the ITC (HS) 2022.

Which documents must be uploaded in e-Sanchit for this tariff line?

The FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) must both be uploaded in e-Sanchit before customs out-of-charge, per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023.

Can labelling deficiencies be rectified at the port for imported sugar consignments?

Yes, but only within the specific categories permitted under FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 and the FSSAI clarification order dated 18-11-2022 — rectification must be performed at the customs bonded warehouse using a single non-detachable sticker before inspection, and the manufacturer must itself provide any missing date-of-expiry information.

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