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Lemon

Prepared or preserved lemon, otherwise prepared fruit

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 2008 99 12 (Lemon, prepared or preserved) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence and labelling compliance under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017. Consignments are admitted only through the designated food-import entry points under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022, administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).

What this is
HSN code
2008 99 12
Chapter
20 · Preparations of vegetables, fruit, nuts or other parts of plants
Primary regulator
FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017
Customs documentation
  • Import Licence from FSSAI
  • Specimen copy of label from FSSAI
  • Entry-point 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. 1
    Obtain the FSSAI Import Licence and ensure the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) and FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) are both uploaded in e-Sanchit before the bill of entry is filed. Customs out-of-charge will not be granted until both documents are verified.
    CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022; FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022
  2. 2
    Route the consignment through a designated food-import entry point in compliance with General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Arrival at a non-designated port renders the consignment liable to detention pending re-routing or re-export.
    General Note 4(D) of Schedule I, ITC (HS) 2022; CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus dated 08-02-2023
  3. 3
    Where labelling deficiencies are identified at the port — including per-serve percentage contribution to recommended dietary allowance, or date-of-expiry information — rectification may be carried out at the customs bonded warehouse by affixing a single non-detachable sticker next to the principal display panel, without altering the original label, under the rectifiable-labelling dispensation.
    CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 in modification of 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 frequent error on this tariff line is treating the rectifiable-labelling dispensation as a cure-all for any documentation gap. The dispensation covers only specified labelling deficiencies — it does not extend to a missing or expired FSSAI Import Licence, and a consignment arriving without document code 911001 uploaded in e-Sanchit faces detention and demurrage regardless of how quickly the label defect is corrected. Confirm the FSSAI Import Licence validity and e-Sanchit upload before vessel departure, not at the port.

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Frequently asked
Does HSN 2008 99 12 require BIS certification?
No, prepared or preserved lemon falls outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers this product family. 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 obligations at the bill of entry.
Which documents must be uploaded in e-Sanchit for this tariff line?
The mandatory e-Sanchit uploads are the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS) and the FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001); the proper officer will verify both before granting out-of-charge, per CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022.
Can labelling deficiencies be corrected after the consignment arrives at the Indian port?
Yes, but only for specified deficiencies — per-serve dietary contribution and date-of-expiry information may be rectified at the customs bonded warehouse by affixing a single non-detachable sticker, per the dispensation under CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 and the FSSAI clarification order dated 18-11-2022; the correction must be carried out before visual inspection by the authorised officer.
Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: FSSAI / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.
Related
ChapterChapter 20 · Preparations of vegetables, fruit, nuts or other parts of plantsHSNFRUIT, NUTS AND OTHER EDIBLE PARTS OF PLANTS, OTHERWISE PREPARED OR PRESERVED, WHETHER OR NOT CONTAINING ADDED SUGAR OR OTHER SWEETENING MATTER OR SPIRIT, NOT ELSEWHERE SPECIFIED OR INCLUDEDHSNOther: