Goods specified in Supplementary Note 9 to this Chapter

Herbicides, anti-sprouting products and plant-growth regulators (Supplementary Note 9)

CIB&RC CLEARANCE · NDPS CLEARANCE

HSN 3808 93 71 covers herbicides, anti-sprouting products and plant-growth regulators specified in Supplementary Note 9 to Chapter 38, and is subject to import permit requirements administered by the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIB&RC) under the Insecticides Act, 1968, per policy condition 04 of Chapter 38. Where constituents of the consignment fall within the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) schedule, a separate import certificate under Rule 53 of the NDPS Rules, 1985 is concurrently required. Import through unrestricted ports is not permitted; CBIC circular obligations on Chapter 38 mandatory qualifiers and DGFT ITC (HS) policy controls apply as additional clearance requirements.

What this is

HSN code

3808 93 71

Chapter

38 · Miscellaneous chemical products

Primary regulator

CIB&RC · Insecticides Act, 1968 read with Insecticides Rules, 1971 (policy condition 04, Chapter 38)

Customs documentation

Import permit from CIB&RC
Registration certificate from CIB&RC
Chapter 38 mandatory qualifiers from CBIC

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

CIB&RCCIB&RC·Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee

NDPSNDPS·Narcotics Control Bureau

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 import permit from the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee, and confirm that the product is registered with CIB&RC under the Insecticides Act, 1968. The permit must be in place before the bill of entry is filed; consignments without a current CIB&RC permit are liable to detention and ground rent accrual at the port of entry.
Policy condition 04 of Chapter 38, ITC (HS) Schedule · DGFT Notification 08/2023 dated 29-05-2023 · Rule 45 of the Insecticides Rules, 1971
2
Route the consignment exclusively through ports notified under Rule 45 of the Insecticides Rules, 1971. Where any constituent substance is a scheduled NDPS substance, obtain an import certificate under Rule 53 of the NDPS Rules, 1985 from the Narcotics Control Bureau before shipment; NDPS imports for non-medical/non-scientific purposes are governed by Appendix-I to the ITC (HS) Schedule and policy condition 2 of Chapter 29.
Rule 45 of the Insecticides Rules, 1971 · Rule 53 of the NDPS Rules, 1985 · ITC (HS) policy condition 2 to Chapter 29
3
Ensure the import declaration includes all mandatory additional qualifiers for CTH 3808 as stipulated in paragraphs 4.1 and 4.2 of CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus dated 30-09-2023, with effect from 15 October 2023. Where the consignment involves a specified hazardous substance exceeding notified quantities, the owner must obtain an insurance policy under the Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991 per S.O. 227(E) dated 24-03-1992 of the Ministry of Environment and Forests.
CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus dated 30-09-2023, paras 4.1 and 4.2 · S.O. 227(E) dated 24-03-1992

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is securing the CIB&RC registration certificate but failing to obtain the separate CIB&RC import permit, which is a distinct instrument required at each importation. Registration attests that the product is approved for use in India; the import permit is the transaction-level authorisation — absence of the permit at the bill of entry triggers Restricted-import enforcement regardless of the validity of the underlying registration.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 3808 93 71 require BIS certification?

No. No BIS Quality Control Order covers herbicides, anti-sprouting products or plant-growth regulators under Supplementary Note 9 to Chapter 38. Import is governed by the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee under the Insecticides Act, 1968, with NDPS and DGFT policy overlays where applicable.

Which ports are notified for import of insecticides under this tariff line?

Import is permitted only through ports notified under Rule 45 of the Insecticides Rules, 1971; the current list must be confirmed with CIB&RC before placing the purchase order, as diversion to an unlisted port constitutes a contravention of the Insecticides Rules.

When does the NDPS import certificate requirement apply to this HSN?

The NDPS import certificate under Rule 53 of the NDPS Rules, 1985 is required only where a constituent substance in the product is a scheduled narcotic drug or psychotropic substance; imports not falling within the medical or scientific purposes carve-out under Chapter VII-A of the NDPS Rules are governed by Appendix-I to the ITC (HS) Schedule.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: CIB&RC / NDPS / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.