Ethiopia, All cereals, 2021

In 2021, Ethiopia's annual estimated postharvest losses were 1,109,201 tonnes for maize, 614,474 tonnes for wheat, 475,401 tonnes for teff, 456,992 tonnes for sorghum. The highest and lowest estimated postharvest loss percentages are 17.6% for maize and 2.2% for oats. The costliest estimated postharvest losses in USD are for teff: over 458 million USD.

Within the value chain the majority of loss is estimated to be happening at harvesting/field drying for maize, at household-level storage for wheat, at harvesting/field drying for teff, at harvesting/field drying for sorghum. Within Ethiopia, the highest postharvest losses in tonnes occur for maize in Oromia, for wheat in Oromia, for teff in Oromia, for sorghum in Oromia. Regarding the nutritional losses, the estimated maize grain lost postharvest could have met the annual energy (kcal) dietary requirements of 4,725,099 people.

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

APHLIS postharvest loss estimates in Ethiopia in 2021

Top 4 crops with the highest production quantity in tonnes.

Maize Wheat Teff Sorghum
Production quantity in tonnes 6,317,174 tonnes 4,343,027 tonnes 3,778,089 tonnes 3,652,267 tonnes
Loss % 17.6% 14.1% 12.6% 12.5%
Losses in tonnes 1,109,201 tonnes 614,474 tonnes 475,401 tonnes 456,992 tonnes
Financial value > 439 million USD > 398 million USD > 458 million USD > 203 million USD
% of national agricultural GDP – – – –
# of people whose annual energy (kcal) requirements could have been met by the lost crop 4,725,099 people – – 1,823,059 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%
Wheat 95.57 Crop left: 95.57% 4.4 Estimated PHL: 4.4%
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%
Further drying
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 89.58 Crop left: 89.58% 4.0 Estimated PHL: 4.0%
Wheat 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
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%
Wheat 92.07 Crop left: 92.07% 3.5 Estimated PHL: 3.5%
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%
Winnowing
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 0 No data for this crop 0 No data for this crop
Wheat 92.07 Crop left: 92.07% 0.0 Estimated PHL: 0.0%
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%
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%
Wheat 89.57 Crop left: 89.57% 2.5 Estimated PHL: 2.5%
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%
Household-level storage
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 81.08 Crop left: 81.08% 4.8 Estimated PHL: 4.8%
Wheat 84.80 Crop left: 84.80% 4.8 Estimated PHL: 4.8%
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%
Transport to market
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 79.43 Crop left: 79.43% 1.7 Estimated PHL: 1.7%
Wheat 83.80 Crop left: 83.80% 1.0 Estimated PHL: 1.0%
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%
Market storage
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 76.78 Crop left: 76.78% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%
Wheat 81.15 Crop left: 81.15% 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%

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