Clove leaf or stem, oil

Clove leaf or stem essential oil (other essential oils)

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 3301 29 21 (Clove leaf or stem, oil) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence requirements under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with compliance mandated under the FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017 and FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020. Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) policy overlays apply, including designated food-import entry-point compliance under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022.

What this is

HSN code

3301 29 21

Chapter

33 · Essential oils and resinoids; perfumery, cosmetic or toilet preparations

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Certificate of Analysis from FSSAI
Batch release certificate from FSSAI

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 ensure all mandatory documents — Certificate of Analysis - Drug (document code 0010dc), Batch Release Certificate (document code 0030dc), Label of Consignment (document code 0110dc), Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS), Registration Certificate - Cosmetics (document code 101dc2), and FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) — are uploaded in e-Sanchit before the bill of entry is filed.
CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023; FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022 under F.No.Import/TFM/Apex/2022-FSSAI
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. For clove stem specifically, ensure the product is tested against safety parameters (horizontal standards) and volatile oil content on a dry basis of not less than 8.5 percent by v/w, as per FSSR 2.9.6(1) applicable to whole cloves pending notification of specific clove stem standards.
CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022; FSSAI Letter No. 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022
3
Verify label compliance with the FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 before out-of-charge. Rectifiable labelling deficiencies — including per-serve percentage contribution to recommended dietary allowance and expiry date information provided by the manufacturer — may be corrected at a customs bonded warehouse by affixing a single non-detachable sticker adjacent to the principal display panel without altering the original label.
CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022, Para 2(i); FSSAI clarification order dated 18-11-2022

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating clove leaf oil and clove stem as interchangeable for testing purposes. Clove stem is assessed against the horizontal safety parameters and a volatile oil content threshold of not less than 8.5 percent by v/w — half the standard applicable to whole cloves under FSSR 2.9.6(1) — because dedicated clove stem standards have not yet been notified; applying the full clove standard or skipping volatile oil content testing entirely will result in consignment detention pending re-inspection. Importers should also note that odoriferous mixtures containing clove oil are classifiable under heading 3302, not 3301, and misclassification attracts reclassification and associated penalties under the Customs Act, 1962.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 3301 29 21 require BIS certification?

No, clove leaf or stem essential oil is not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with CBIC policy overlays and designated food-import entry-point compliance under the ITC (HS) 2022.

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

Six documents are mandatory: Certificate of Analysis - Drug (0010dc), Batch Release Certificate (0030dc), Label of Consignment (0110dc), Specimen Copy of Label (0110FS), Registration Certificate - Cosmetics (101dc2), and FSSAI Import Licence (911001), all per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus.

What testing standard applies to imported clove stem pending notification of dedicated standards?

Until specific standards for clove stem are notified, FSSAI applies safety parameters (horizontal standards) and a volatile oil content threshold of not less than 8.5 percent by v/w on a dry basis — half the value applicable to whole cloves under FSSR 2.9.6(1).

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