Sun cured country (natu) tobacco

Sun cured country (natu) tobacco, partly or wholly stemmed

MOHFW CLEARANCE

HSN 2401 20 20 (Sun cured country (natu) tobacco) is subject to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) packaging and labelling requirements under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Amendment Rules, 2022, notified via G.S.R. 592(E) dated 21-07-2022, with effect from 01 December 2022. The tariff line is governed by General Note 13 of the ITC (HS) Schedule administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), and customs clearance procedures are reinforced by CBIC Instruction 02/2023 dated 07-01-2023.

What this is

HSN code

2401 20 20

Chapter

24 · Tobacco and manufactured tobacco substitutes

Primary regulator

MOHFW · Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Amendment Rules, 2022

Customs documentation

Labelling compliance declaration from MOHFW
Health warning conformity from MOHFW
ITC (HS) General Note 13 declaration from DGFT

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

MOHFWMOHFW·Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.

Compliance steps

1
Ensure all packaging and labelling of imported sun cured country tobacco bears the new set of health warnings notified by MOHFW under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Amendment Rules, 2022. Non-compliant labelling renders the consignment liable to detention and seizure at the port of import.
G.S.R. 592(E) dated 21-07-2022 · MOHFW Letter D.O.P.16011/02/2017-TC (PART-1) dated 09-12-2022
2
Confirm compliance with General Note 13 of the ITC (HS) Schedule before filing the bill of entry, as the import of tobacco products is expressly conditioned on adherence to the MOHFW packaging and labelling regime. Upload all supporting labelling-compliance documentation in e-Sanchit prior to seeking out-of-charge.
General Note 13 of ITC (HS) Schedule · CBIC Instruction 02/2023 dated 07-01-2023

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is shipping consignments with packaging prepared under the pre-2022 health-warning specifications, which were superseded with effect from 01 December 2022. A consignment that displays outdated health warnings does not satisfy the MOHFW Amendment Rules, 2022 — even if all other import conditions are met — and customs will not grant out-of-charge until compliant packaging is demonstrated; rectification after arrival attracts demurrage and ground rent at the port while the discrepancy is resolved.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 2401 20 20 require BIS certification?

No, unmanufactured tobacco is not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Amendment Rules, 2022, with the ITC (HS) General Note 13 policy condition administered by DGFT.

Which health-warning specifications apply to tobacco imports under this tariff line from 01 December 2022?

The new set of health warnings notified by MOHFW via G.S.R. 592(E) dated 21-07-2022 is mandatory from 01 December 2022; details are accessible on the MOHFW website and were further communicated via MOHFW Letter D.O.P.16011/02/2017-TC (PART-1) dated 09-12-2022.

What is the consequence of importing tobacco with non-compliant packaging under the 2022 Amendment Rules?

Consignments bearing packaging that does not conform to the MOHFW Amendment Rules, 2022 are subject to detention at the port of import, with customs out-of-charge withheld until compliance is demonstrated, as reinforced by CBIC Instruction 02/2023 dated 07-01-2023.

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