Ethiopia, All cereals, 2005

In 2005, Ethiopia's annual estimated postharvest losses were 1,770,851 tonnes for wheat, 657,920 tonnes for maize, 321,147 tonnes for sorghum, 279,423 tonnes for teff. The highest and lowest estimated postharvest loss percentages are 16.3% for maize and 2.1% for oats. The costliest estimated postharvest losses in USD are for wheat: over 406 million USD.

Within the value chain, for all crops the majority of loss is estimated to be happening at harvesting/field drying. Within Ethiopia, the highest postharvest losses in tonnes occur for wheat in Oromia, for maize in Oromia, for sorghum in Amara, for teff in Oromia. Regarding the nutritional losses, the estimated maize grain lost postharvest could have met the annual energy (kcal) dietary requirements of 2,802,681 people.

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

APHLIS postharvest loss estimates in Ethiopia in 2005

Top 4 crops with the highest production quantity in tonnes.

Wheat Maize Sorghum Teff
Production quantity in tonnes 14,139,788 tonnes 4,031,275 tonnes 2,576,445 tonnes 2,247,500 tonnes
Loss % 12.5% 16.3% 12.5% 12.4%
Losses in tonnes 1,770,851 tonnes 657,920 tonnes 321,147 tonnes 279,423 tonnes
Financial value > 406 million USD > 111 million USD > 56 million USD > 85 million USD
% of national agricultural GDP – – – –
# of people whose annual energy (kcal) requirements could have been met by the lost crop – 2,802,681 people 1,281,136 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
Wheat 95.57 Crop left: 95.57% 4.4 Estimated PHL: 4.4%
Maize 93.58 Crop left: 93.58% 6.4 Estimated PHL: 6.4%
Sorghum 95.45 Crop left: 95.45% 4.6 Estimated PHL: 4.6%
Teff 96.50 Crop left: 96.50% 3.5 Estimated PHL: 3.5%
Further drying
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Wheat 0 No data for this crop 0 No data for this crop
Maize 89.58 Crop left: 89.58% 4.0 Estimated PHL: 4.0%
Sorghum 0 No data for this crop 0 No data for this crop
Teff 0 No data for this crop 0 No data for this crop
Threshing and Shelling
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Wheat 92.07 Crop left: 92.07% 3.5 Estimated PHL: 3.5%
Maize 88.26 Crop left: 88.26% 1.3 Estimated PHL: 1.3%
Sorghum 91.85 Crop left: 91.85% 3.6 Estimated PHL: 3.6%
Teff 93.00 Crop left: 93.00% 3.5 Estimated PHL: 3.5%
Winnowing
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Wheat 92.07 Crop left: 92.07% 0.0 Estimated PHL: 0.0%
Maize 0 No data for this crop 0 No data for this crop
Sorghum 91.85 Crop left: 91.85% 0.0 Estimated PHL: 0.0%
Teff 90.50 Crop left: 90.50% 2.5 Estimated PHL: 2.5%
Transport from field
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Wheat 89.57 Crop left: 89.57% 2.5 Estimated PHL: 2.5%
Maize 85.89 Crop left: 85.89% 2.4 Estimated PHL: 2.4%
Sorghum 89.68 Crop left: 89.68% 2.2 Estimated PHL: 2.2%
Teff 88.00 Crop left: 88.00% 2.5 Estimated PHL: 2.5%
Household-level storage
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Wheat 87.10 Crop left: 87.10% 2.5 Estimated PHL: 2.5%
Maize 82.66 Crop left: 82.66% 3.2 Estimated PHL: 3.2%
Sorghum 87.03 Crop left: 87.03% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%
Teff 87.71 Crop left: 87.71% 0.3 Estimated PHL: 0.3%
Transport to market
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Wheat 86.10 Crop left: 86.10% 1.0 Estimated PHL: 1.0%
Maize 81.01 Crop left: 81.01% 1.7 Estimated PHL: 1.7%
Sorghum 86.03 Crop left: 86.03% 1.0 Estimated PHL: 1.0%
Teff 86.71 Crop left: 86.71% 1.0 Estimated PHL: 1.0%
Market storage
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Wheat 83.45 Crop left: 83.45% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%
Maize 78.36 Crop left: 78.36% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%
Sorghum 83.38 Crop left: 83.38% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%
Teff 84.06 Crop left: 84.06% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%

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