Of staple length exceeding 27.0 mm but not exceeding 32.0 mm
Raw cotton bales, staple length 27.0 to 32.0 mm
HSN 5201 00 24 (raw cotton bales of staple length exceeding 27.0 mm but not exceeding 32.0 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.
Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade.
- 1Source only from a Bureau of Indian Standards CM/L-licensed manufacturer or ginner 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. 948(E) dated 28-02-2023 · S.O. 2996(E) dated 03-07-2025
- 2Ensure each cotton bale bears the ISI standard mark under licence per Scheme-II of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. Marking — including bale identification and statutory licence number — must appear on the bale itself, not only on accompanying documentation.Scheme-II of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · Cotton Bales (Quality Control) Amendment Order, 2023
- 3Confirm that the consignment meets IS 12171:2019 requirements for bale density, moisture content, trash content, contamination limits, and staple-length grading in the 27.0–32.0 mm range. Retain the supplier's test records and conformity certificate for each lot prior to shipment.IS 12171:2019 · Cotton Bales (Quality Control) Amendment Order, 2023 · S.O. 948(E) dated 28-02-2023
- 4Quote 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 licence triggers consignment detention, demurrage, and ground rent from the date of arrival.BIS Act, 2016 · Cotton Bales (Quality Control) Amendment Order, 2023 · Customs Act, 1962
- 5If the consignment originates in Bangladesh, verify whether the goods fall within the port restrictions introduced under paragraph 19 of the general notes to the ITC (HS) import policy. Goods outside the documented exemptions in paragraphs 2 and 3 are restricted to specified ports of entry.DGFT Notification 7/25-26 dated 17-05-2025 · General Notes to the ITC (HS) 2022 Import Policy
The single most common error on this tariff line is treating the enforcement date as the date to begin BIS compliance preparations rather than the date by which all upstream supplier licensing must already be operational. IS 12171:2019 requires the foreign ginner or manufacturer — not the Indian importer — to hold the CM/L licence, and BIS licensing cycles for overseas facilities under Scheme-II run several months; importers who initiate supplier audits in late 2026 will face unlicensed consignments at port, triggering detention and potential re-export. Commission the CM/L onboarding of every supply source well before 27 August 2026.