Toffees, caramels and similar sweets

Toffees, caramels and similar sugar confectionery

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 1704 90 30 (Toffees, caramels and similar sweets) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence requirements under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with mandatory e-Sanchit document upload before out-of-charge. Import of candies and confectioneries containing milk or milk solids as an ingredient is prohibited from China under DGFT Notification 01/2015-20 dated 23-04-2019, 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

1704 90 30

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
China-origin prohibition compliance from DGFT

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 an FSSAI Import Licence and upload it in e-Sanchit under document code 911001, along with a Specimen Copy of Label under document code 0110FS, before filing the bill of entry. The customs proper officer will verify both documents are present in e-Sanchit before granting out-of-charge.
CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022 · FSSAI letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022
2
If the product contains milk or milk solids as an ingredient and originates from China, note that import is prohibited until port-laboratory testing capacity for melamine has been suitably upgraded. Do not ship China-origin milk-containing confectionery until the prohibition is lifted.
DGFT Notification 01/2015-20 dated 23-04-2019
3
Route the consignment through a designated food-import entry point in compliance with General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of ITC (HS) 2022. For imports from Bangladesh, verify applicability of port restrictions and exemptions under para 19 of the General Notes as introduced by DGFT Notification 7/2025-26 dated 17-05-2025.
General Note 4(D) of Schedule I, ITC (HS) 2022 · DGFT Notification 7/2025-26 dated 17-05-2025

A word of counsel

The China-origin prohibition is product-ingredient-specific, not origin-generic: toffees and caramels that contain even a minor proportion of milk solids fall squarely within the prohibition under DGFT Notification 01/2015-20, and the ban has no automatic sunset. Importers frequently assume the prohibition applies only to dairy or chocolate product lines and proceed to ship; the consignment is detained at the designated port with no path to clearance short of re-export. Confirm with the foreign manufacturer that the formulation is milk-free before placing the order.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 1704 90 30 require BIS certification?

No, sugar confectionery including toffees and caramels is 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 FSSAI Import Licence and label compliance as the operative clearance requirements.

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

The FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and a Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before out-of-charge; per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023, label deficiencies listed under the FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 may be rectified at customs bonded warehouses by affixing a single non-detachable sticker before officer inspection.

Does the Bangladesh import policy restriction under DGFT Notification 7/2025-26 apply to confectionery?

DGFT Notification 7/2025-26 dated 17-05-2025 introduced port restrictions on certain goods imported from Bangladesh under para 19 of the General Notes to ITC (HS) 2022; importers should verify whether toffees and caramels fall within the restricted categories or the exempted goods listed in paras 2 and 3 of that notification.

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