Cameroon, All cereals, 2021

In 2021, Cameroon's annual estimated postharvest losses were 261,034 tonnes for maize, 87,813 tonnes for millet, 23,441 tonnes for rice. The highest and lowest estimated postharvest loss percentages are 17.7% for maize and 9.2% for millet. The costliest estimated postharvest losses in USD are for maize: over 176 million USD.

Within the value chain, for all crops the majority of loss is estimated to be happening at harvesting/field drying. Within Cameroon, the highest postharvest losses in tonnes occur for maize in West, for millet in Far North, for rice in Far North. Regarding the nutritional losses, the estimated maize grain lost postharvest could have met the annual energy (kcal) dietary requirements of 1,087,751 people.

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

APHLIS postharvest loss estimates in Cameroon in 2021

Top 3 crops with the highest production quantity in tonnes.

Maize Millet Rice
Production quantity in tonnes 1,472,230 tonnes 950,389 tonnes 209,196 tonnes
Loss % 17.7% 9.2% 11.2%
Losses in tonnes 261,034 tonnes 87,813 tonnes 23,441 tonnes
Financial value > 176 million USD – > 26 million USD
% of national agricultural GDP – – –
# of people whose annual energy (kcal) requirements could have been met by the lost crop 1,087,751 people 381,650 people 97,680 people

See full postharvest losses data tables with loss percentage › | losses in tonnes › | losses in USD › | 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%
Millet 96.50 Crop left: 96.50% 3.5 Estimated PHL: 3.5%
Rice 95.60 Crop left: 95.60% 4.4 Estimated PHL: 4.4%
Further drying
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 89.58 Crop left: 89.58% 4.0 Estimated PHL: 4.0%
Millet 0 No data for this crop 0 No data for this crop
Rice 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%
Millet 94.50 Crop left: 94.50% 2.0 Estimated PHL: 2.0%
Rice 92.46 Crop left: 92.46% 3.1 Estimated PHL: 3.1%
Winnowing
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 0 No data for this crop 0 No data for this crop
Millet 93.65 Crop left: 93.65% 0.9 Estimated PHL: 0.9%
Rice 89.96 Crop left: 89.96% 2.5 Estimated PHL: 2.5%
Transport from field
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 85.88 Crop left: 85.88% 2.4 Estimated PHL: 2.4%
Millet 91.15 Crop left: 91.15% 2.5 Estimated PHL: 2.5%
Rice 88.71 Crop left: 88.71% 1.3 Estimated PHL: 1.3%
Household-level storage
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 80.94 Crop left: 80.94% 4.9 Estimated PHL: 4.9%
Millet 90.42 Crop left: 90.42% 0.7 Estimated PHL: 0.7%
Rice 88.31 Crop left: 88.31% 0.4 Estimated PHL: 0.4%
Transport to market
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 80.94 Crop left: 80.94% 0.0 Estimated PHL: 0.0%
Millet 90.42 Crop left: 90.42% 0.0 Estimated PHL: 0.0%
Rice 88.31 Crop left: 88.31% 0.0 Estimated PHL: 0.0%
Market storage
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 80.94 Crop left: 80.94% 0.0 Estimated PHL: 0.0%
Millet 90.42 Crop left: 90.42% 0.0 Estimated PHL: 0.0%
Rice 88.31 Crop left: 88.31% 0.0 Estimated PHL: 0.0%

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