Ethiopia, All cereals, 2016

In 2016, Ethiopia's annual estimated postharvest losses were 1,626,709 tonnes for maize, 572,549 tonnes for teff, 544,187 tonnes for sorghum, 605,726 tonnes for wheat. The highest and lowest estimated postharvest loss percentages are 19.8% for maize and 2.1% for oats. The costliest estimated postharvest losses in USD are for teff: over 420 million USD, which corresponds to 1.6% of national agricultural GDP.

Within the value chain the majority of loss is estimated to be happening at household-level storage for maize, at harvesting/field drying for teff, at harvesting/field drying for sorghum, at household-level storage for wheat. Within Ethiopia, the highest postharvest losses in tonnes occur for maize in Oromia, for teff in Oromia, for sorghum in Oromia, for wheat in Oromia. Regarding the nutritional losses, the estimated maize grain lost postharvest could have met the annual energy (kcal) dietary requirements of 6,929,636 people.

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

APHLIS postharvest loss estimates in Ethiopia in 2016

Top 4 crops with the highest production quantity in tonnes.

Maize Teff Sorghum Wheat
Production quantity in tonnes 8,211,426 tonnes 4,582,450 tonnes 4,351,245 tonnes 4,272,358 tonnes
Loss % 19.8% 12.5% 12.5% 14.2%
Losses in tonnes 1,626,709 tonnes 572,549 tonnes 544,187 tonnes 605,726 tonnes
Financial value > 372 million USD > 420 million USD > 125 million USD > 247 million USD
% of national agricultural GDP 1.4% 1.6% 0.5% 1.0%
# of people whose annual energy (kcal) requirements could have been met by the lost crop 6,929,636 people – 2,170,899 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%
Sorghum 95.45 Crop left: 95.45% 4.6 Estimated PHL: 4.6%
Wheat 95.57 Crop left: 95.57% 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%
Teff 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
Wheat 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%
Sorghum 91.85 Crop left: 91.85% 3.6 Estimated PHL: 3.6%
Wheat 92.07 Crop left: 92.07% 3.5 Estimated PHL: 3.5%
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%
Sorghum 91.85 Crop left: 91.85% 0.0 Estimated PHL: 0.0%
Wheat 92.07 Crop left: 92.07% 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%
Sorghum 89.68 Crop left: 89.68% 2.2 Estimated PHL: 2.2%
Wheat 89.57 Crop left: 89.57% 2.5 Estimated PHL: 2.5%
Household-level storage
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 78.13 Crop left: 78.13% 7.8 Estimated PHL: 7.8%
Teff 87.70 Crop left: 87.70% 0.3 Estimated PHL: 0.3%
Sorghum 86.97 Crop left: 86.97% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%
Wheat 84.78 Crop left: 84.78% 4.8 Estimated PHL: 4.8%
Transport to market
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 76.48 Crop left: 76.48% 1.7 Estimated PHL: 1.7%
Teff 86.70 Crop left: 86.70% 1.0 Estimated PHL: 1.0%
Sorghum 85.97 Crop left: 85.97% 1.0 Estimated PHL: 1.0%
Wheat 83.78 Crop left: 83.78% 1.0 Estimated PHL: 1.0%
Market storage
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 73.83 Crop left: 73.83% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%
Teff 84.05 Crop left: 84.05% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%
Sorghum 83.32 Crop left: 83.32% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%
Wheat 81.13 Crop left: 81.13% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%

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