Other

Fish meal, crustacean and aquatic invertebrate flour and pellets

AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 2301 20 90 (other flours, meals and pellets of fish or of crustaceans, molluscs or other aquatic invertebrates) is subject to Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS) sanitary clearance under the Live-stock Importation Act, 1898, with a Sanitary Import Permit, veterinary Health Certificate, and Certificate of Analysis required at the bill-of-entry stage. CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022 governs the e-Sanchit document-upload and IRN-quoting sequence for customs out-of-charge.

What this is

HSN code

2301 20 90

Chapter

23 · Residues and waste from food industries; prepared animal fodder

Primary regulator

AQCS · Live-stock Importation Act, 1898 (sanitary import clearance)

Customs documentation

Sanitary Import Permit from AQCS
Health Certificate from exporting country
Certificate of Analysis from accredited laboratory

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

AQCSAQCS·Animal Quarantine and Certification Services

Compliance steps

1
Obtain the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit (document code 911DF1) before consignment dispatch. The Importer must quote the e-Sanchit IRN of the Sanitary Import Permit on the bill of entry to obtain the AQCS NOC for CTIs listed in Annexure A (Sl. No. 3) of CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022.
CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022 · AQCS Sanitary Import Permit document code 911DF1
2
Upload the veterinary Health Certificate issued by the competent authority of the exporting country (document code 853AQ1) and the laboratory report or Certificate of Analysis (document code 001AQ1) in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry. Additionally, the Health Certificate (document code 6360AQ) must be uploaded for PGA-facilitated bills prior to customs out-of-charge.
CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022, Annexure A Sl. No. 1 and Sl. No. 2 · document codes 853AQ1, 001AQ1, 6360AQ

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is uploading only the Health Certificate (document code 6360AQ) and the Sanitary Import Permit (document code 911DF1) while omitting the veterinary Health Certificate (document code 853AQ1) and the Certificate of Analysis (document code 001AQ1). CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus treats each of these as a separate mandatory document tied to distinct Annexure A entries; a consignment missing even one code is held pending by the proper officer without out-of-charge, attracting demurrage and ground rent for every day of detention.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 2301 20 90 require BIS certification?

No. No BIS Quality Control Order covers this product family. Import of fish meal, crustacean flour and related aquatic invertebrate pellets is governed by Animal Quarantine and Certification Services under the Live-stock Importation Act, 1898, requiring a Sanitary Import Permit, veterinary Health Certificate, and Certificate of Analysis.

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

Four codes are required: the Sanitary Import Permit (911DF1), the veterinary Health Certificate from the exporting country (853AQ1), the laboratory Certificate of Analysis (001AQ1), and the Health Certificate (6360AQ), all per CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022.

What happens if the AQCS NOC is not obtained before customs out-of-charge?

The proper officer must withhold out-of-charge until the mandatory documents are verified in e-Sanchit; consignments held at the port attract demurrage and ground rent, and continued non-compliance may result in re-export or confiscation under the Live-stock Importation Act, 1898.

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