The labelling rules of the country where the product is sold apply, not India's. In most countries the label on a pesticide must match the label approved in its registration, word for word, and must also meet chemical hazard labelling law.
The registration holder, usually you as importer, is legally responsible for the label. The Indian factory prints it to your artwork, so you must supply artwork that is correct.
Indian labelling rules apply only to product sold in India. A plant making export-only product follows your rules, but may still add Indian manufacturer details if Indian law requires them. Agree the exact content before printing.
What a pesticide label usually must show
Requirements differ by country, but most labels carry the following:
- The label shows the product name, the formulation type and the active content.
- It carries the registration or authorisation number in the importing country.
- It lists the approved uses: crops, pests, doses, timing and pre-harvest intervals.
- It shows hazard pictograms, a signal word and hazard and precautionary statements under the country's version of GHS.
- It gives first aid, storage and disposal instructions, and the protective equipment to wear.
- It names the registration holder with address, and gives the batch number and the date of manufacture or expiry.
- It states net contents in the units the country requires.
Examples by market
In the European Union, plant protection product labels follow the product authorisation and the CLP Regulation for hazard information, in the official language or languages of each member state. In the United States, the label approved by the Environmental Protection Agency is the legal document, and using a product against its label is unlawful. Many other countries combine a national pesticide law with GHS-based hazard rules.
Hazard labelling is covered in more depth in what GHS labels chemical packages must carry. For EU hazard rules, see what CLP labelling is.
Labels on export and transport
Packages that are dangerous goods also need transport marks, such as UN numbers, class labels and the marine pollutant mark. These sit alongside the product label and follow the transport rules, not the pesticide law.
Some countries let you relabel in a bonded warehouse after arrival. Others require the final label at the border. Check with your regulator and customs broker which applies to you.
Leaflets and booklets attached to the pack are common where the approved label is long. The regulator usually approves these too, so treat them as part of the label, with the same proof and check steps.
How to avoid label errors
- Send the factory final artwork taken directly from your approved label, not a translation done by the factory.
- Approve a printed proof and a filled sample before the full run.
- Check batch and date codes on finished packs during pre-shipment inspection.
- Keep the approved label and the printed proof together in your file for each batch.
- Update the artwork at once when your registration changes, and tell the factory in writing which old stock to destroy.
Next step
We check printed labels against your approved artwork during production and loading. Book a free sourcing review to plan your first branded order.