Democratic Republic of the Congo, All cereals, 2019

In 2019, Democratic Republic of the Congo's annual estimated postharvest losses were 368,119 tonnes for maize, 191,111 tonnes for rice, 5,318 tonnes for millet. The highest and lowest estimated postharvest loss percentages are 17.2% for maize and 11.2% for millet. The costliest estimated postharvest losses in USD are for rice: over 223 million USD, which corresponds to 2.2% of national agricultural GDP.

Within the value chain, for all crops the majority of loss is estimated to be happening at harvesting/field drying. Within Democratic Republic of the Congo, the highest postharvest losses in tonnes occur for maize in Katanga, for rice in Orientale, for millet in Bandundu. Regarding the nutritional losses, the estimated maize grain lost postharvest could have met the annual energy (kcal) dietary requirements of 1,628,239 people.

To view the list of studies used to estimate these losses, please see the References tab.

APHLIS postharvest loss estimates in Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2019

Top 3 crops with the highest production quantity in tonnes.

Maize Rice Millet
Production quantity in tonnes 2,138,962 tonnes 1,378,846 tonnes 47,669 tonnes
Loss % 17.2% 13.9% 11.2%
Losses in tonnes 368,119 tonnes 191,111 tonnes 5,318 tonnes
Financial value > 132 million USD > 223 million USD –
% of national agricultural GDP 1.3% 2.2% –
# of people whose annual energy (kcal) requirements could have been met by the lost crop 1,628,239 people 835,971 people 21,312 people

See full postharvest losses data tables with loss percentage › | losses in tonnes › | losses in USD › | financial impact › | nutritional losses ›

Postharvest loss estimates per value chain step

  • Estimated % of crop left at this value chain stage
  • Estimated % of crop lost at this value chain stage
Harvesting/field drying
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 93.58 Crop left: 93.58% 6.4 Estimated PHL: 6.4%
Rice 95.60 Crop left: 95.60% 4.4 Estimated PHL: 4.4%
Millet 96.50 Crop left: 96.50% 3.5 Estimated PHL: 3.5%
Further drying
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 89.58 Crop left: 89.58% 4.0 Estimated PHL: 4.0%
Rice 0 No data for this crop 0 No data for this crop
Millet 0 No data for this crop 0 No data for this crop
Threshing and Shelling
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 88.26 Crop left: 88.26% 1.3 Estimated PHL: 1.3%
Rice 92.46 Crop left: 92.46% 3.1 Estimated PHL: 3.1%
Millet 94.50 Crop left: 94.50% 2.0 Estimated PHL: 2.0%
Winnowing
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 0 No data for this crop 0 No data for this crop
Rice 89.96 Crop left: 89.96% 2.5 Estimated PHL: 2.5%
Millet 92.00 Crop left: 92.00% 2.5 Estimated PHL: 2.5%
Transport from field
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 85.90 Crop left: 85.90% 2.4 Estimated PHL: 2.4%
Rice 88.71 Crop left: 88.71% 1.3 Estimated PHL: 1.3%
Millet 89.50 Crop left: 89.50% 2.5 Estimated PHL: 2.5%
Household-level storage
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 80.64 Crop left: 80.64% 5.3 Estimated PHL: 5.3%
Rice 87.51 Crop left: 87.51% 1.2 Estimated PHL: 1.2%
Millet 88.33 Crop left: 88.33% 1.2 Estimated PHL: 1.2%
Transport to market
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 78.99 Crop left: 78.99% 1.7 Estimated PHL: 1.7%
Rice 86.51 Crop left: 86.51% 1.0 Estimated PHL: 1.0%
Millet 88.33 Crop left: 88.33% 0.0 Estimated PHL: 0.0%
Market storage
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 76.34 Crop left: 76.34% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%
Rice 83.86 Crop left: 83.86% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%
Millet 88.33 Crop left: 88.33% 0.0 Estimated PHL: 0.0%

See full value chain data table with estimated losses in percentage › | tonnes › | USD ›