South Africa, Sorghum, 2007

South Africa's estimated postharvest losses for sorghum in 2007 was 17,109 tonnes or 9.7%.

As for nutrition 62 billion kcal were lost, which is the equivalent of more than 69 thousand 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, Market storage, and then Transport to market. Highest estimated postharvest maize losses in tonnes were estimated to occur in Mpumalanga.

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 155270
2012 135770
2013 147470
2014 215887
2015 215887
2016 215887
2017 215887
2018 215887
2019 215887
2020 215887
Produced 176,270 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses 9.7% / 17,109 tonnes
Production quantity Estimated postharvest losses
90.29379 Production quantity: 176,270 tonnes 9.7 Estimated PHL: 17,109 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 100 Remaining: 100%
Est. PHL: 0% 		0 Remaining: 100%
Est. PHL: 0%
Harvesting/field drying 92.40715 Remaining: 92.40715%
Est. PHL: 7.59285% 		7.59285 Remaining: 92.40715%
Est. PHL: 7.59285%
Household-level storage 92.40715 Remaining: 92.40715%
Est. PHL: 0% 		0 Remaining: 92.40715%
Est. PHL: 0%
Transport to market 91.40715 Remaining: 91.40715%
Est. PHL: 1% 		1 Remaining: 91.40715%
Est. PHL: 1%
Market storage 90.10715 Remaining: 90.10715%
Est. PHL: 1.3% 		1.3 Remaining: 90.10715%
Est. PHL: 1.3%

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 sorghum that was lost postharvest, and what % of the focal group of the population this number equates to.

Total number

69,869

people, 0.1%

Children 1-3

173,521

children, 5.1%

Pregnant women 19-30

62,809

women, 31.0%

Men 31-50

55,603

men, 0.7%

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