AT A GLANCE
- Buy only from a licensed dealer and always take a pucca bill with the batch number.
- Check the manufacturer’s name and address, batch number, manufacturing and expiry dates, net weight and MRP.
- Reject torn, re-stitched or tampered packs.
- Keep the bill and one empty pack until harvest, in case you need to complain.
What a genuine label must show
- 1Product name and exact grade or content
- 2Manufacturer’s full name and address
- 3Printed batch number (match it to your bill)
- 4Month and year of manufacture
- 5Expiry date (bio-products, PGRs, pesticides)
- 6Registration number where required (e.g. CIB&RC)
- 7Net weight or volume and MRP
- 8Intact machine stitching or cap seal
| Check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Product name and grade | Exact name and nutrient content (e.g. NPK 19:19:19, Zinc sulphate 21%) |
| Manufacturer | Full name and address of the company that made it |
| Batch number | Printed, not handwritten — must match your bill |
| Dates | Month and year of manufacture; expiry for bio-products, PGRs and pesticides |
| Registration | Pesticides carry a CIB&RC registration number; fertilizers must meet Fertiliser (Control) Order standards |
| Net content and MRP | Weight or volume and the maximum retail price — never pay more than MRP |
| Seal | Machine-stitched bag or intact cap seal |
Warning signs of a fake product
- Price far below other dealers, or an offer from a door-to-door seller with no shop.
- Spelling mistakes, blurred printing, or a name very similar to a well-known brand.
- No bill offered, or a bill without the batch number.
- Granules of mixed colours or sizes, lumps, unusual smell, or powder that doesn’t dissolve as expected.
Storing inputs at home
- Keep bags off the floor on a wooden platform, in a dry, shaded room.
- Store fertilizers, seeds and pesticides separately — never near food or fodder.
- Close opened packs tightly; urea and many fertilizers absorb moisture and cake.
- Use bio-products and growth regulators before the expiry date.
If you suspect a fake
Stop using the product, keep the bill, the pack and some of the material. Report it to your block or district agriculture officer, or call the Kisan Call Centre on 1800-180-1551. For any Balaji Agro product, contact us directly with the batch number — we will check it.
Not sure what your crop needs?Send clear photos of the crop — the whole plant, the affected leaves up close, and the field — with your crop and its age. Our team will reply in Hindi or English.
