Of staple length exceeding 24.5 mm but not exceeding 27.0 mm

Raw cotton bales of staple length 24.5 to 27.0 mm

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · IS 12171

HSN 5201 00 23 (raw cotton bales of staple length exceeding 24.5 mm but not exceeding 27.0 mm) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 12171:2019 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 27 August 2026, by virtue of the Cotton Bales (Quality Control) Amendment Order, 2023. Directorate General of Foreign Trade policy controls on imports from Bangladesh apply as a separate customs-clearance overlay.

What this is

HSN code

5201 00 23

Chapter

52 · Cotton

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 12171:2019 · effective 27-08-2026

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

BISBIS·Bureau of Indian Standards

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

Compliance steps

1
Source only from a Bureau of Indian Standards CM/L-licensed manufacturer or ginning facility holding a current licence against IS 12171:2019 for cotton bales. Verify the supplier's CM/L number, licensed product scope, and licensed facility on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order.
Cotton Bales (Quality Control) Amendment Order, 2023 · S.O. 2996(E) dated 03-07-2025 · S.O. 948(E) dated 28-02-2023
2
Ensure every imported cotton bale bears the ISI standard mark under a BIS CM/L licence in accordance with Scheme-II of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. The mark must appear on the bale identification tag or packaging in the prescribed form.
Scheme-II of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · S.O. 3557(E) dated 07-08-2023 · S.O. 3830(E) dated 28-08-2023
3
Verify that the bales conform to IS 12171:2019 specifications for staple length (24.5–27.0 mm range), fibre fineness, trash content, bale density, moisture limits, and contamination limits. Obtain and retain the supplier's test certificate against IS 12171:2019 from an accredited laboratory for each consignment.
IS 12171:2019 · Cotton Bales (Quality Control) Amendment Order, 2023
4
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number on the bill of entry. Customs verifies the CM/L in real time against the BIS register; an absent, expired, or scope-mismatched CM/L triggers consignment detention at port.
BIS Act, 2016 · Customs Act, 1962 · Cotton Bales (Quality Control) Amendment Order, 2023
5
If the consignment originates in Bangladesh, verify applicability of port restrictions introduced under paragraph 19 of the general notes to the ITC (HS) 2022 import policy. Consignments outside the documented carve-outs in paragraphs 2 and 3 are restricted to specified ports of entry.
DGFT Notification 7/25-26 dated 17-05-2025 · General Note 19 of the ITC (HS) 2022 Import Policy

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is treating the 27 August 2026 enforcement date as a future grace period that permits clearance of unmarked bales in the interim. The QCO obligation attaches at the date of import, not at the date of purchase order; consignments arriving on or after 27 August 2026 without a valid BIS CM/L-marked bale identification face detention regardless of when the contract was signed. Importers with long-lead shipments in transit should confirm IS 12171:2019 CM/L coverage with their supplier well before the vessel departs.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 5201 00 23 require BIS certification?

Yes. Cotton bales of staple length exceeding 24.5 mm but not exceeding 27.0 mm must conform to IS 12171:2019 under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 27 August 2026, by virtue of the Cotton Bales (Quality Control) Amendment Order, 2023. Import is permitted only from facilities holding a current BIS CM/L licence.

Which BIS scheme applies to cotton bales under IS 12171:2019?

Scheme-II of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 applies. This scheme governs product certification where the standard mark is applied under a CM/L licence issued to the manufacturing or ginning facility.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all staple-length grades within the supplier's facility?

No. The CM/L licence is scope-specific; the licensed product scope must expressly cover the 24.5–27.0 mm staple-length range. Bales outside the licensed scope, or produced at an unlicensed facility, are not covered by that CM/L.

Do Bangladesh-origin cotton bales face additional import restrictions?

Yes, potentially. DGFT Notification 7/25-26 dated 17-05-2025 introduced port restrictions on certain goods from Bangladesh under paragraph 19 of the general notes to the ITC (HS) 2022 import policy. Importers must verify whether their specific consignment falls within the stated exemptions before routing through a port.

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