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2022 (12) TMI 1413 - AAR - CustomsClassification of goods proposed to be imported - Roasted Areca Nuts - to be classifiable under CTH 2008 19 20 of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975 or not - HELD THAT:- The processes mentioned in Chapter 8 include chilling, steaming, boiling, drying and provisionally preserving. It does not specifically include the process of roasting. Here it is important to understand the difference between the processes of drying and roasting. The terms, however, are not defined in the Customs Tariff Act, 1975. Therefore, these terms have to be understood in a commonly accepted sense. The Hon'ble Apex Court in the case of Alladi Venkateswarlu v. Government of Andhra Pradesh [1978 (2) TMI 184 - SUPREME COURT] held that "the commonly accepted sense of a term should prevail in construing the description of an article of food". In common trade parlance, "drying" is a method of food preservation by the removal of water. On the other hand, "roasting" means the excess or very high heat treatment that produces fundamental chemical and physical changes in the structure and composition of the goods, bringing about a charred physical appearance. Therefore, drying is a moisture removal process involving methods such as dehydration, evaporation, etc., whereas roasting is a severe heat treatment process. The impugned goods i.e. roasted betel nuts, find specific reference in the chapter 20 of the schedule I of the Customs Tariff Act 1975 as well as corresponding HSN Explanatory Note. It is important to pay attention to the fact that in the above explanatory note a process of roasting is not specifically mentioned as a process of preservation or stabilisation or a process to improve or maintain the appearance. This corroborates the finding that the process of roasting is not covered by Note 3 to Chapter 8 and hence these products, roasted betel nuts — complete as well as cut — are not classifiable under chapter 8 of the Tariff. The relevance of Chapter 21 is already discussed in para 5.1. Supplementary note 2 to Chapter 21 states that in this Chapter "betel nut product known as Supari " means any preparation containing betel nuts, but not containing any one or more of the following ingredients, namely: lime, Katha (catechu) and tobacco whether or not containing any other ingredients, such as cardamom, copra or menthol. Betel nut product known as "Supari" is mentioned in Subheading 21069030. Heading 2106 covers food preparations not elsewhere specified or included. Those food preparations not specified or included elsewhere in the tariff being preparations for human consumption are to be classified under this heading. Therefore, it appears that it is a residuary entry in respect of edible food preparations. As a result, edible preparations shall be classified under this entry only if the same is not classifiable under any of the other specific entries for edible preparations. As the goods under consideration are already included in Heading 2008 of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975, they stand excluded from the scope of Chapter 21. Roasted Areca Nuts — whole as well as cut - merit classification under Heading 2008 and specifically under subheading 2008 19 20 of the First Schedule of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975.
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