What Is the P1010 Purpose Code?

The P1010 purpose code covers money received from abroad for agricultural services such as protection against insects and disease, increasing harvest yields and forestry services. RBI lists P1010 in group 10, Other Business Services. The RBI description is the test: if your invoice describes agricultural, crop protection or forestry services, P1010 is the closest match. AD banks report the code you choose under FETERS, as set out in A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 84 of February 29, 2012. Regulation 18(2) of the 2026 Export and Import Regulations keeps this FETERS reporting in place.

P1010 vs P0101: P0101 is a goods export receipt code, so check it against the RBI list. P1010 applies to a service performed for the client, such as crop protection or forestry work. If you sell produce or other goods abroad, the payment is for goods and falls under the goods export codes.

Use the P1010 purpose code when a foreign client pays you for agricultural services such as protection against insects and disease, increasing harvest yields and forestry services. The deciding question is what your invoice and contract describe. Group 10 of the RBI purpose code list has separate codes for closely related services, so check the alternatives below before you choose P1010.

• Use P1006 instead: Use P1006 (Business and management consultancy and public relations services) when the advice is about running the business rather than farming or forestry work.
• Use P1008 instead: Use P1008 (Research & Development services) when the client pays for agricultural research and development.
• Use P1022 instead: Use P1022 (Other Technical Services including scientific/space services.) when the technical service is not agricultural.

The P1010 purpose code is used by Indian residents and entities that sell agricultural, crop protection or forestry services to customers outside India. The Indian recipient of the payment declares P1010 to the AD bank or payment provider that credits the foreign currency.

• For example, a crop protection firm in Nashik is paid by an overseas farm operator for pest and disease management work and declares P1010.
• For example, an agronomy consultant in Indore receives fees from a foreign plantation company for work on raising harvest yields and uses P1010.
• For example, a forestry services company in Dehradun is paid by a European client for forest management work and declares P1010.
• For example, an agricultural services provider in Pune bills a Middle East farm for yield improvement services and receives the payment under P1010.

• The payment is for agricultural produce or other goods sent abroad. Use The goods export receipt codes in the [RBI list](https://rbidocs.rbi.org.in/rdocs/content/pdfs/ASAP840212A.pdf).
• The client pays for agricultural research and development. Use P1008 (Research & Development services).
• The client pays for mining services such as on-site ore analysis. Use P1018 (Mining services like on–site processing services analysis of ores etc.).
• The client pays for environmental services. Use P1013 (Environmental Services).

For the P1010 purpose code, the core documents are the invoice, the contract or engagement letter, and an Export Declaration Form (EDF). Under Regulation 3(2) of the 2026 Export and Import Regulations, in force from October 01, 2026, an exporter of services must furnish an EDF with the full export value. For services other than software, the EDF may be submitted on or before the date of receipt of payment. This changes paragraph B.7 of the Master Direction, superseded by A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 20, which let such services be exported without a declaration.

• Invoice: Raise an invoice naming the foreign client and describing the service, the period or deliverable, the amount and the currency.
• Contract: Keep the contract, statement of work or email confirmation that shows the scope of the work.
• EDF: Submit the Export Declaration Form to an Authorised Dealer in the DTA, or to the SEZ Development Commissioner in an SEZ. One EDF can cover all services exported to one or more recipients in a month. SOFTEX applied only to software.
• Work evidence: Keep the deliverables or records that show what was supplied, in case the bank or a tax officer asks.
• Bank requests: Your AD bank may ask for KYC details or the remitter's details. Under Regulation 4(2), invoices up to ₹10 lakh can be closed in EDPMS on your declaration that the payment has been realised.

1. Check the invoice and contract to confirm the payment is for agricultural services such as protection against insects and disease, increasing harvest yields and forestry services.
2. Open the inward payment in your bank or payment provider's portal, app or branch form when the foreign currency arrives or when you are asked for the purpose.
3. Select P1010 from the purpose code list, or write the code and its description if the form asks for text.
4. Attach or keep ready the invoice, contract and Export Declaration Form, and add the invoice number in any remarks field so the payment can be matched.
5. Confirm the code shown on the credit advice or inward remittance certificate is P1010, and ask your bank or payment provider to correct it if it is wrong.

• FIRA/FIRC: The inward remittance advice or certificate your bank or payment provider issues normally records the purpose of the payment. Keep it with the matching invoice. Check with your AD bank on the exact format it issues.
• GST status: Agricultural service work for a foreign client is an export of services only if all five conditions in section 2(6) of the IGST Act are met. These include the place of supply being outside India, so check the place of supply for your case with a tax professional. Services linked to land can have a place of supply rule tied to the location of the land.
• Zero rating: Export of services is a zero rated supply under section 16(1)(a) of the IGST Act, and input tax credit may be availed for it under section 16(2).
• LUT: Section 16(3) allows a registered person to make zero rated supplies without payment of integrated tax under bond or Letter of Undertaking. The LUT is filed as FORM GST RFD-11 on the GST portal.
• Income tax: The purpose code does not change how the income is taxed. Fees for these services are part of your income and are reported in your return. The Income-tax Act, 2025 replaced the 1961 Act from 01.04.2026. Take advice from a tax professional on the correct head and return form.
• Realisation: Under Regulation 5(1)(a) of the 2026 Regulations, the export value of services must be realised and repatriated within nine months from the date of invoice, or twelve months where the export is invoiced or settled in Indian rupees. The September 22, 2026 amendment cut these from fifteen and eighteen months. Your AD bank may extend the period on request.

• Goods or services: Declaring P1010 for sale of produce. P1010 is for agricultural services, not goods.
• Assumed meaning: Treating P1010 as a code for farm income in general. RBI describes it as agricultural services like protection against insects and disease, increasing of harvest yields and forestry services.
• Environmental work: Using P1010 for environmental consulting, which RBI lists under P1013 (Environmental Services).
• Catch-all code: Using P1099 (Other services not included elsewhere) when P1010 describes the service.
• Personal codes: Selecting a transfer code such as P1301 (family maintenance) for service fees, which misstates the nature of the receipt.
• No EDF: Assuming service work needs no declaration. From October 01, 2026, Regulation 3(2) requires an EDF for services, filed on or before the date of receipt of payment for services other than software.

The code, its official description and every rule on this page are linked to RBI and other official sources, checked on the dates below.

1. RBI: Guidelines for Submission of Data, Foreign Exchange Transactions Electronic Reporting System (FETERS), purpose code list for receipts, Annex purpose codes, receipts, Group 10 Other Business Services: P1010 and related codes listed on this page (checked 9 Oct 2026)
2. RBI A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 84 dated February 29, 2012: Compilation of R-Returns, Reporting under FETERS, Paragraph 3: AD banks to report all foreign exchange transactions as per the revised purpose code list from April 2012 (checked 9 Oct 2026)
3. RBI Notification No. FEMA 23(R)/2026-RB: Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026 (amended up to September 22, 2026), Regulation 1(2) (in force from October 01, 2026); 2(1)(f) (specified authority for services other than software); 3(2) and 3(2)(b) (EDF for services, on or before receipt of payment for non-software services); 4(2) (EDPMS closure up to ₹10 lakh); 5(1)(a) (nine months from invoice date, as amended on September 22, 2026); 18(2) (FETERS reporting) (checked 9 Oct 2026)
4. RBI A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 20 dated January 16, 2026: Export and Import of Goods and Services, Paragraphs 4 and 7 and Annex A: Master Direction on Export of Goods and Services and listed circulars, including the SOFTEX circulars, superseded from October 01, 2026 (checked 9 Oct 2026)
5. RBI: Export Declaration Form, Annex to the 2026 Regulations, Part 2B (details of services provided to multiple recipients) and Part 5 (certification by Custom, SEZ, Authorised Dealer or STPI) (checked 9 Oct 2026)
6. RBI Master Direction: Export of Goods and Services (updated as on July 17, 2026; superseded from October 01, 2026), Superseded from October 01, 2026; cited only to explain the earlier rule in paragraph B.7 (export of services without a specified form) (checked 9 Oct 2026)
7. IGST Act, 2017, Section 2: Definitions (CBIC tax information portal), Section 2(6): definition of export of services (checked 9 Oct 2026)
8. IGST Act, 2017, Section 16: Zero rated supply (CBIC tax information portal), Section 16(1)(a), 16(2) and 16(3): zero rated supply, input tax credit, supply under bond or Letter of Undertaking (checked 9 Oct 2026)
9. GST Portal user manual: Furnishing of Letter of Undertaking (FORM GST RFD-11), Filing path Services > User Services > Furnish Letter of Undertaking (LUT) (checked 9 Oct 2026)
10. Income Tax Department e-filing portal: Objective and scope of the New Act, Repeal of the 1961 Act on 01.04.2026 and the tax year concept (checked 9 Oct 2026)