South Africa, All cereals, 2020

In 2020, South Africa's annual estimated postharvest losses were 350,215 tonnes for maize, 11,404 tonnes for wheat, 9,312 tonnes for barley, 10,738 tonnes for sorghum. The highest and lowest estimated postharvest loss percentages are 14.9% for maize and 4.2% for barley. The costliest estimated postharvest losses in USD are for maize: over 65 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 barley, at harvesting/field drying for sorghum. Within South Africa, the highest postharvest losses in tonnes occur for maize in Free State, for wheat in Western Cape, for barley in Western Cape, for sorghum in Free State. Regarding the nutritional losses, the estimated maize grain lost postharvest could have met the annual energy (kcal) dietary requirements of 1,359,652 people.

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

APHLIS postharvest loss estimates in South Africa in 2020

Top 4 crops with the highest production quantity in tonnes.

Maize Wheat Barley Sorghum
Production quantity in tonnes 2,355,586 tonnes 267,392 tonnes 219,552 tonnes 215,887 tonnes
Loss % 14.9% 4.3% 4.2% 5.0%
Losses in tonnes 350,215 tonnes 11,404 tonnes 9,312 tonnes 10,738 tonnes
Financial value > 65 million USD > 3 million USD – –
% of national agricultural GDP – – – –
# of people whose annual energy (kcal) requirements could have been met by the lost crop 1,359,652 people 42,232 people – 43,853 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 95.62 Crop left: 95.62% 4.4 Estimated PHL: 4.4%
Wheat 98.00 Crop left: 98.00% 2.0 Estimated PHL: 2.0%
Barley 98.00 Crop left: 98.00% 2.0 Estimated PHL: 2.0%
Sorghum 97.25 Crop left: 97.25% 2.8 Estimated PHL: 2.8%
Further drying
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 92.01 Crop left: 92.01% 3.6 Estimated PHL: 3.6%
Wheat 0 No data for this crop 0 No data for this crop
Barley 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 89.96 Crop left: 89.96% 2.0 Estimated PHL: 2.0%
Wheat 0 No data for this crop 0 No data for this crop
Barley 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
Winnowing
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 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
Barley 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
Transport from field
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 87.95 Crop left: 87.95% 2.0 Estimated PHL: 2.0%
Wheat 0 No data for this crop 0 No data for this crop
Barley 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
Household-level storage
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 83.77 Crop left: 83.77% 4.2 Estimated PHL: 4.2%
Wheat 94.14 Crop left: 94.14% 3.9 Estimated PHL: 3.9%
Barley 98.00 Crop left: 98.00% 0.0 Estimated PHL: 0.0%
Sorghum 97.25 Crop left: 97.25% 0.0 Estimated PHL: 0.0%
Transport to market
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 82.77 Crop left: 82.77% 1.0 Estimated PHL: 1.0%
Wheat 93.14 Crop left: 93.14% 1.0 Estimated PHL: 1.0%
Barley 97.00 Crop left: 97.00% 1.0 Estimated PHL: 1.0%
Sorghum 96.25 Crop left: 96.25% 1.0 Estimated PHL: 1.0%
Market storage
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 80.12 Crop left: 80.12% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%
Wheat 91.84 Crop left: 91.84% 1.3 Estimated PHL: 1.3%
Barley 95.70 Crop left: 95.70% 1.3 Estimated PHL: 1.3%
Sorghum 94.95 Crop left: 94.95% 1.3 Estimated PHL: 1.3%

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