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
650831
2012
862258
2013
692610
2014
833045
2015
794661
2016
826896
2017
854688
2018
886630
2019
912086
2020
885031
Produced
957,048 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses
18.0%
/ 172,221 tonnes
Production quantity
Estimated postharvest losses
82.0049Production quantity: 957,048 tonnes
18.0Estimated PHL: 172,221 tonnes
See full postharvest losses data table with estimated losses in
percentage ›
| tonnes ›
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
100Remaining: 100% Est. PHL: 0%
0Remaining: 100% Est. PHL: 0%
Harvesting/field drying
93.58Remaining: 93.58% Est. PHL: 6.42%
6.42Remaining: 93.58% Est. PHL: 6.42%
Further drying
89.58Remaining: 89.58% Est. PHL: 4%
4Remaining: 89.58% Est. PHL: 4%
Threshing and Shelling
88.26Remaining: 88.26% Est. PHL: 1.32%
1.32Remaining: 88.26% Est. PHL: 1.32%
Transport from field
85.90286Remaining: 85.90286% Est. PHL: 2.35714%
2.35714Remaining: 85.90286% Est. PHL: 2.35714%
Household-level storage
80.63911Remaining: 80.63911% Est. PHL: 5.26375%
5.26375Remaining: 80.63911% Est. PHL: 5.26375%
Transport to market
80.63911Remaining: 80.63911% Est. PHL: 0%
0Remaining: 80.63911% Est. PHL: 0%
Market storage
80.63911Remaining: 80.63911% Est. PHL: 0%
0Remaining: 80.63911% Est. PHL: 0%
See full value chain data table with estimated losses in
percentage ›
| tonnes ›
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.