What Do Numbers on Fruits and Vegetables Mean?

Consumers in the Kuwaiti market often see numbered tags and labels on various fruits and vegetables, some consisting of four digits and others of five, and many wonder what they mean. The answer comes from agricultural expert Mohammed Ibrahim Al-Fraih, who noted that this indicates the method of cultivation on one hand, and identifies the types of produce to facilitate storage, as well as sales and purchasing procedures, on the other. Al-Fraih explained that if the code consists of four digits and the first digit is 3 or 4, this fruit was grown using traditional methods and sprayed with pesticides... Therefore, it must be washed thoroughly before eating. He added, “If the number of digits is five and the first digit is 8, this means the fruit or vegetables have been genetically modified... and if the first digit is 9, it is considered organic.” As for the remaining numbers, he noted that they “are assigned to facilitate storage and indicate the product name, such as 3030 (Clementine) and 311 (Papaya) from Brazil, and 4015 (Red Apple), and so on...” Al-Fraih explained that “These numbers (PLU) were designed to identify the type of fruits and vegetables and facilitate their sale and purchase,” noting that “this system is widely used in European countries because it provides retailers with a complete record of sales, product type, and global pricing,” and expressed his hope that this system would be implemented in Kuwait.