Ethiopia, All cereals, 2007

In 2007, Ethiopia's annual estimated postharvest losses were 813,391 tonnes for maize, 352,698 tonnes for teff, 349,768 tonnes for wheat, 253,667 tonnes for sorghum. The highest and lowest estimated postharvest loss percentages are 16.4% for maize and 2.1% for oats. The costliest estimated postharvest losses in USD are for teff: over 162 million USD, which corresponds to 2.0% 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 Ethiopia, the highest postharvest losses in tonnes occur for maize in Oromia, for teff in Oromia, for wheat in Oromia, for sorghum in Amara. Regarding the nutritional losses, the estimated maize grain lost postharvest could have met the annual energy (kcal) dietary requirements of 3,464,974 people.

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

APHLIS postharvest loss estimates in Ethiopia in 2007

Top 4 crops with the highest production quantity in tonnes.

Maize Teff Wheat Sorghum
Production quantity in tonnes 4,964,242 tonnes 2,835,319 tonnes 2,779,208 tonnes 2,022,734 tonnes
Loss % 16.4% 12.4% 12.6% 12.5%
Losses in tonnes 813,391 tonnes 352,698 tonnes 349,768 tonnes 253,667 tonnes
Financial value > 157 million USD > 162 million USD > 116 million USD > 55 million USD
% of national agricultural GDP 1.9% 2.0% 1.4% 0.7%
# of people whose annual energy (kcal) requirements could have been met by the lost crop 3,464,974 people – – 1,011,944 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%
Teff 96.50 Crop left: 96.50% 3.5 Estimated PHL: 3.5%
Wheat 95.57 Crop left: 95.57% 4.4 Estimated PHL: 4.4%
Sorghum 95.45 Crop left: 95.45% 4.6 Estimated PHL: 4.6%
Further drying
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 89.58 Crop left: 89.58% 4.0 Estimated PHL: 4.0%
Teff 0 No data for this crop 0 No data for this crop
Wheat 0 No data for this crop 0 No data for this crop
Sorghum 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%
Teff 93.00 Crop left: 93.00% 3.5 Estimated PHL: 3.5%
Wheat 92.07 Crop left: 92.07% 3.5 Estimated PHL: 3.5%
Sorghum 91.85 Crop left: 91.85% 3.6 Estimated PHL: 3.6%
Winnowing
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 0 No data for this crop 0 No data for this crop
Teff 90.50 Crop left: 90.50% 2.5 Estimated PHL: 2.5%
Wheat 92.07 Crop left: 92.07% 0.0 Estimated PHL: 0.0%
Sorghum 91.85 Crop left: 91.85% 0.0 Estimated PHL: 0.0%
Transport from field
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 85.89 Crop left: 85.89% 2.4 Estimated PHL: 2.4%
Teff 88.00 Crop left: 88.00% 2.5 Estimated PHL: 2.5%
Wheat 89.57 Crop left: 89.57% 2.5 Estimated PHL: 2.5%
Sorghum 89.68 Crop left: 89.68% 2.2 Estimated PHL: 2.2%
Household-level storage
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 82.59 Crop left: 82.59% 3.3 Estimated PHL: 3.3%
Teff 87.71 Crop left: 87.71% 0.3 Estimated PHL: 0.3%
Wheat 86.98 Crop left: 86.98% 2.6 Estimated PHL: 2.6%
Sorghum 86.94 Crop left: 86.94% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%
Transport to market
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 80.94 Crop left: 80.94% 1.7 Estimated PHL: 1.7%
Teff 86.71 Crop left: 86.71% 1.0 Estimated PHL: 1.0%
Wheat 85.98 Crop left: 85.98% 1.0 Estimated PHL: 1.0%
Sorghum 85.94 Crop left: 85.94% 1.0 Estimated PHL: 1.0%
Market storage
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 78.29 Crop left: 78.29% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%
Teff 84.06 Crop left: 84.06% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%
Wheat 83.33 Crop left: 83.33% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%
Sorghum 83.29 Crop left: 83.29% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%

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