Wholly or partly defatted

Wholly or partly defatted cocoa paste

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 1803 20 00 (Wholly or partly defatted cocoa paste) 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 entry points are governed by General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022, administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), and DGFT Notification 7/2025-26 dated 17-05-2025 introduces additional port restrictions for imports from Bangladesh.

What this is

HSN code

1803 20 00

Chapter

18 · Cocoa and cocoa preparations

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Specimen copy of label from FSSAI
Food-import entry point declaration to 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 a valid FSSAI Import Licence and upload it in e-Sanchit under document code 911001, along with the Specimen Copy of Label under document code 0110FS, before filing the bill of entry. The customs proper officer will verify both documents are uploaded before granting out-of-charge.
FSSAI Import Licence document code 911001 · Specimen Copy of Label document code 0110FS · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022
2
Ensure the consignment enters through a designated food-import entry point in compliance with General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. For consignments originating from Bangladesh, verify applicability of port restrictions and exemptions under Para 1, 2, and 3 of DGFT Notification 7/2025-26.
General Note 4(D), Schedule I, ITC (HS) 2022 · DGFT Notification 7/2025-26 dated 17-05-2025
3
Where labelling deficiencies are identified at port, rectification is permitted under the FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017 and FSSAI orders dated 22-05-2018 and 14-01-2019, covering items such as per-serve dietary allowance contribution and expiry date — carried out at a customs bonded warehouse by affixing a single non-detachable sticker without altering the original label.
CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022 · FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022 under F.No.Import/tfm/Apex/2022-FSSAI

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is assuming that a current FSSAI Import Licence alone satisfies customs clearance without verifying that both document codes — 911001 (FSSAI Import Licence) and 0110FS (Specimen Copy of Label) — are uploaded in e-Sanchit before the bill of entry is presented. A missing label upload is treated as an incomplete PGA clearance, not a rectifiable labelling deficiency, and results in consignment detention until the document is correctly lodged. Importers sourcing from Bangladesh must additionally confirm port eligibility under DGFT Notification 7/2025-26 prior to shipment.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 1803 20 00 require BIS certification?

No, wholly or partly defatted cocoa paste falls outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers this product. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with designated food-import entry point controls under General Note 4(D) of the ITC (HS) 2022.

Which documents must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before out-of-charge 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; the proper officer verifies both before granting out-of-charge per CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022.

Can labelling deficiencies on imported cocoa paste be rectified at the port?

Yes, but only the specific deficiencies permitted under the FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017 and FSSAI orders, including per-serve dietary allowance data and expiry date — rectification must be carried out at a customs bonded warehouse by affixing a single non-detachable sticker, verified by an authorised FSSAI officer, per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023.

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