Malawi, Maize, 2007

Malawi's estimated postharvest losses for maize in 2007 was 597,989 tonnes or 16.9% which had an estimated value of more than 93 million US dollar, which corresponds to 7.7% of national agricultural GDP.

As for nutrition 2,075 billion kcal were lost, which is the equivalent of more than 2 million people, in terms of annual nutritional dietary energy requirements. In the value chain, the majority of the loss is estimated to be happening at Harvesting/field drying, Household-level storage, and then Further drying. Highest estimated postharvest maize losses in tonnes were estimated to occur in Central Region.

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

Production quantity and estimated postharvest losses

  • Production quantity (tonnes)
  • Estimated postharvest losses (tonnes)
2011–2021
2011 3895181
2012 3623924
2013 3641440
2014 3978123
2015 2776277
2016 2370493
2017 3464139
2018 2697959
2019 3391924
2020 3785713
Produced 3,544,098 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses 16.9% / 597,989 tonnes / > 93 million USD
Production quantity Estimated postharvest losses
83.1272 Production quantity: 3,544,098 tonnes 16.9 Estimated PHL: 597,989 tonnes

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

Value chain

Production quantity and estimated postharvest losses in % per value chain step. Please note that once loss has occurred at harvesting, the percentage loss in the next stage is a percentage of what remained, not of the original amount.

  • Estimated % of crop left
  • Estimated % of crop lost
Amount remaining(%) Estimated postharvest loss(%)
Production 100 Remaining: 100%
Est. PHL: 0%
0 Remaining: 100%
Est. PHL: 0%
Harvesting/field drying 93.74269 Remaining: 93.74269%
Est. PHL: 6.25731%
6.25731 Remaining: 93.74269%
Est. PHL: 6.25731%
Further drying 89.77429 Remaining: 89.77429%
Est. PHL: 3.9684%
3.9684 Remaining: 89.77429%
Est. PHL: 3.9684%
Threshing and Shelling 88.39522 Remaining: 88.39522%
Est. PHL: 1.37907%
1.37907 Remaining: 88.39522%
Est. PHL: 1.37907%
Transport from field 86.03102 Remaining: 86.03102%
Est. PHL: 2.3642%
2.3642 Remaining: 86.03102%
Est. PHL: 2.3642%
Household-level storage 82.03136 Remaining: 82.03136%
Est. PHL: 3.99966%
3.99966 Remaining: 82.03136%
Est. PHL: 3.99966%
Transport to market 80.39638 Remaining: 80.39638%
Est. PHL: 1.63498%
1.63498 Remaining: 80.39638%
Est. PHL: 1.63498%
Market storage 77.74638 Remaining: 77.74638%
Est. PHL: 2.65%
2.65 Remaining: 77.74638%
Est. PHL: 2.65%

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

Nutrition

Number of people whose annual dietary requirements (in terms of energy, kcal) could have been met by consuming the maize that was lost postharvest, and what % of the focal group of the population this number equates to.

Total number

2,492,985

people, 13.0%


Children 1-3

5,765,706

children, 315.8%


Pregnant women 19-30

2,086,999

women, 2,244.4%


Men 31-50

1,847,574

men, 107.4%

See full nutritional impact data for Children 1–3 › | Pregnant women 19–30 › | Men 31–50 ›