Malawi, Maize, 2021

Malawi's estimated postharvest losses for maize in 2021 was 783,419 tonnes or 17.1% which had an estimated value of more than 142 million US dollar.

As for nutrition 2,718 billion kcal were lost, which is the equivalent of more than 3 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 4,581,524 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses 17.1% / 783,419 tonnes / > 142 million USD
Production quantity Estimated postharvest losses
82.9005 Production quantity: 4,581,524 tonnes 17.1 Estimated PHL: 783,419 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 93.67659 Remaining: 93.67659%
Est. PHL: 6.32341%
6.32341 Remaining: 93.67659%
Est. PHL: 6.32341%
Further drying 89.69537 Remaining: 89.69537%
Est. PHL: 3.98122%
3.98122 Remaining: 89.69537%
Est. PHL: 3.98122%
Threshing and Shelling 88.34027 Remaining: 88.34027%
Est. PHL: 1.3551%
1.3551 Remaining: 88.34027%
Est. PHL: 1.3551%
Transport from field 85.9622 Remaining: 85.9622%
Est. PHL: 2.37807%
2.37807 Remaining: 85.9622%
Est. PHL: 2.37807%
Household-level storage 81.64116 Remaining: 81.64116%
Est. PHL: 4.32104%
4.32104 Remaining: 81.64116%
Est. PHL: 4.32104%
Transport to market 79.99485 Remaining: 79.99485%
Est. PHL: 1.64631%
1.64631 Remaining: 79.99485%
Est. PHL: 1.64631%
Market storage 77.34485 Remaining: 77.34485%
Est. PHL: 2.65%
2.65 Remaining: 77.34485%
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

3,266,036

people, 17.0%


Children 1-3

7,553,598

children, 413.7%


Pregnant women 19-30

2,734,159

women, 2,940.4%


Men 31-50

2,420,490

men, 140.7%

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