diff --git a/backend/scripts/reconcile.js b/backend/scripts/reconcile.js
index 04a8dd8..eb08ec1 100644
--- a/backend/scripts/reconcile.js
+++ b/backend/scripts/reconcile.js
@@ -47,9 +47,6 @@ async function reconcile() {
                 // Get batch ID at index
                 const batchIdBytes32 = await contract.getBatchIdByIndex(i);
                 
-                // Convert bytes32 to string (remove padding)
-                const batchId = ethers.zeroPadValue(batchIdBytes32, 32).toString();
-                
                 // Get full batch data
                 const onChainBatch = await contract.getBatch(batchIdBytes32);
                 
@@ -59,14 +56,13 @@ async function reconcile() {
                     const readableBatchId = ethers.toUtf8String(batchIdBytes32);
                     
                     // Map blockchain stage (uint8) to string
-                    const stageName = getStageName(Number(onChainBatch.quantity) > 0 ? 0 : 0); // Stage is in updates, not CropBatch struct
+                    const stageName = getStageName(0);
                     
                     // Update or insert batch in MongoDB
                     await Batch.updateOne(
                         { batchId: readableBatchId },
                         {
                             $set: {
-                                // Keep local data but update sync status
                                 syncStatus: 'synced',
                                 lastSyncedAt: new Date(),
                                 onChainData: {
diff --git a/backend/server.js b/backend/server.js
index 64a885b..2a6761e 100644
--- a/backend/server.js
+++ b/backend/server.js
@@ -60,9 +60,9 @@ const PORT = process.env.PORT || 3001;
 
 // ==================== MIDDLEWARE FUNCTIONS ====================
 
-// Authentication is handled by middleware imported from './middleware/auth'
-// - protect: Verifies JWT and fetches full user from - adminOnly: MongoDB
-// Checks if user has admin role
+// Authentication is handled by middleware imported from './middleware/auth':
+// - protect: Verifies JWT and fetches full user from MongoDB
+// - adminOnly: Checks if user has admin role
 // - authorizeBatchOwner: Verifies user owns the batch
 // - authorizeRoles: Role-based authorization
 
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ async function generateBatchId() {
         );
 
         const currentYear = new Date().getFullYear();
-        const batchId = `CROP-${currentYear}-${String(counter.seq).padStart(4, '0')}`;
+        const batchId = `CROP-${currentYear}-${String(counter.seq).padStart(3, '0')}`;
 
         await session.commitTransaction();
         session.endSession();
@@ -308,6 +308,7 @@ async function generateBatchId(session = null) {
     return `CROP-${currentYear}-${String(counter.seq).padStart(4, '0')}`;
 }
 
+
 async function generateQRCode(batchId) {
     try {
         return await QRCode.toDataURL(batchId, {