COCOA POWDER, NOT CONTAINING ADDED SUGAR OR OTHER SWEETENING MATTER

Unsweetened cocoa powder, not containing added sugar

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 1805 00 00 (Cocoa powder, not containing added sugar or other sweetening matter) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence and label-compliance requirements under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Consignments must enter through designated food-import ports under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022, administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC). Bangladesh-origin imports are additionally subject to port restrictions introduced under DGFT Notification 7/2025-26 dated 17-05-2025.

What this is

HSN code

1805 00 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
Entry-point declaration per CBIC

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 (document code 911001) and prepare a specimen copy of the label (document code 0110FS) compliant with the FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020. Both documents must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry; customs out-of-charge will not be granted until the proper officer confirms their presence.
CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022 · FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022
2
Route the consignment through one of the designated food-import entry points in compliance with General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. For Bangladesh-origin cocoa powder, confirm whether the para 19 port restrictions introduced by DGFT Notification 7/2025-26 dated 17-05-2025 apply, and identify any exemptions under paras 2 and 3 of that notification.
General Note 4(D) of ITC (HS) 2022 · DGFT Notification 7/2025-26 dated 17-05-2025
3
At the designated port, any rectifiable labelling deficiency — including per-serve percentage contribution to recommended dietary allowance and expiry/best-before date — may be corrected by affixing a single non-detachable sticker next to the principal display panel, without altering original label information, before visual inspection by the authorised FSSAI officer.
CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · FSSAI clarification order dated 18-11-2022 · FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017 Reg 6

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating a valid FSSAI Import Licence as full clearance and overlooking the label-compliance verification step at the port. An FSSAI-licensed consignment whose label omits the per-serve dietary allowance contribution or bears only a best-before date without an expiry date will be held for rectification — and the rectification window applies only to the defined categories of deficiency, not to a wholesale non-compliant label. Confirm the label is FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020-compliant before shipment to avoid detention and demurrage at the designated entry point.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 1805 00 00 require BIS certification?

No, unsweetened cocoa powder 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 requirements at the bill-of-entry stage.

Which document codes 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) are mandatory uploads in e-Sanchit; out-of-charge will not be granted until the proper officer confirms both are present, per CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022.

Do the Bangladesh-origin port restrictions under DGFT Notification 7/2025-26 apply to cocoa powder?

DGFT Notification 7/2025-26 dated 17-05-2025 introduced para 19 into the ITC (HS) 2022 General Notes regulating imports from Bangladesh with specific port restrictions; importers must verify whether cocoa powder falls within the covered goods or qualifies for an exemption under paras 2 and 3 of that notification.

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