Pesticide QR code, Rule 19 and beyond

Rule 19(1)(i)(w) of the Insecticides Rules, 1971 (as amended by G.S.R. 211(E), 2023) asks for a QR code on the retail pack, primary or secondary, that contains at least a unique identifier or GTIN, the batch number, the date of manufacturing, the date of expiry and a web link or URL. Scanning it must bring up the link to the manufacturing company's page with the entire label and leaflet.

A link that carries your identifier or GTIN, batch and dates. One tap opens a 2-page PDF: Page 1 shows the five items in the rule's own words, (a) Unique Identifier or GTIN, (b) Batch Number, (c) Date of Manufacturing, (d) Date of Expiry, (e) Web link or URL, your company's page with the full label and leaflet; Page 2 shows the registration number and date, the brand and common name, the composition, and the crops and doses you tick from the CIB&RC Major Uses list.

The rule says the code shall contain "at least" the five items, so more is allowed, but it must match your approved label and leaflet: tick only the uses on your label. It is included in the price.

Yes. The batch number and the dates are inside the code, so each batch needs its own code, printed at packing or on a label printed for that batch. One order makes the codes for one batch of each product chosen.

No. Rule 19 asks for a "Unique Identifier or GTIN". A GTIN is the number under the barcode on your pack, issued by GS1 India (Indian numbers usually start with 890); if you have one, type it. If not, type your own product code, or leave the box empty and we make a unique identifier for you, such as UID-7K3M-Q9TX: the same for this product in every order you place, and never all digits, so it cannot be mistaken for a GTIN. It is not the GSTIN, your tax number.

Yes, up to 100 products in one order. Choose them one by one, or download the Excel sheet in step 1, fill one row per product (the formulation from the list, batch number, dates, web link, registration number and date, and the crops on your approved label; brand and GTIN optional) and upload it. The products and details fill in on the page: each crop ticks its uses from the CIB&RC list, so untick any use not on your approved label, check the preview and pay. The codes are drawn as soon as the payment is received: about a minute at most for 100 products. One order has one batch of each product; for a second batch, place a second order.

About 2.5 to 3 cm. The PDF shows each code at its smallest print size and large, as a vector graphic your designer can scale up but never below that size, and the PNG image is about 10 cm at 300 dpi.

We first put all the text inside the code, but phones showed such codes as "Search barcode" or nothing at all. A link works on every phone camera, keeps the code small (about 2.5 cm) and still carries the identifier, batch and dates; the free QR code checker on NanoKheti's pesticide label checklist page finds all five items in it. Each code's pages are saved on nanokheti.com when you pay, with no end date.

Yes: the free QR code checker on NanoKheti's pesticide label checklist page reads a code from the camera, a photo or pasted text and shows which of the five items are in it.