Zambia, All cereals, 2021

In 2021, Zambia's annual estimated postharvest losses were 359,519 tonnes for maize, 7,987 tonnes for wheat, 4,823 tonnes for millet, 4,242 tonnes for rice. The highest and lowest estimated postharvest loss percentages are 16.9% for maize and 4.0% for barley.

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 millet, at harvesting/field drying for rice. Within Zambia, the highest postharvest losses in tonnes occur for maize in Eastern, for wheat in Central, for millet in Northern, for rice in Northern. Regarding the nutritional losses, the estimated maize grain lost postharvest could have met the annual energy (kcal) dietary requirements of 1,507,212 people.

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

APHLIS postharvest loss estimates in Zambia in 2021

Top 4 crops with the highest production quantity in tonnes.

Maize Wheat Millet Rice
Production quantity in tonnes 2,122,644 tonnes 168,090 tonnes 41,806 tonnes 33,222 tonnes
Loss % 16.9% 4.8% 11.5% 12.8%
Losses in tonnes 359,519 tonnes 7,987 tonnes 4,823 tonnes 4,242 tonnes
Financial value – – – –
% of national agricultural GDP – – – –
# of people whose annual energy (kcal) requirements could have been met by the lost crop 1,507,212 people 31,942 people – 17,785 people

See full postharvest losses data tables with loss percentage › | losses in tonnes › | 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 93.86 Crop left: 93.86% 6.1 Estimated PHL: 6.1%
Wheat 98.00 Crop left: 98.00% 2.0 Estimated PHL: 2.0%
Millet 96.56 Crop left: 96.56% 3.4 Estimated PHL: 3.4%
Rice 95.60 Crop left: 95.60% 4.4 Estimated PHL: 4.4%
Further drying
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 89.91 Crop left: 89.91% 3.9 Estimated PHL: 3.9%
Wheat 0 No data for this crop 0 No data for this crop
Millet 0 No data for this crop 0 No data for this crop
Rice 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 88.49 Crop left: 88.49% 1.4 Estimated PHL: 1.4%
Wheat 0 No data for this crop 0 No data for this crop
Millet 94.56 Crop left: 94.56% 2.0 Estimated PHL: 2.0%
Rice 92.46 Crop left: 92.46% 3.1 Estimated PHL: 3.1%
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
Millet 92.06 Crop left: 92.06% 2.5 Estimated PHL: 2.5%
Rice 89.96 Crop left: 89.96% 2.5 Estimated PHL: 2.5%
Transport from field
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 86.13 Crop left: 86.13% 2.4 Estimated PHL: 2.4%
Wheat 0 No data for this crop 0 No data for this crop
Millet 89.56 Crop left: 89.56% 2.5 Estimated PHL: 2.5%
Rice 88.71 Crop left: 88.71% 1.3 Estimated PHL: 1.3%
Household-level storage
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 81.74 Crop left: 81.74% 4.4 Estimated PHL: 4.4%
Wheat 92.25 Crop left: 92.25% 5.8 Estimated PHL: 5.8%
Millet 88.28 Crop left: 88.28% 1.3 Estimated PHL: 1.3%
Rice 88.10 Crop left: 88.10% 0.6 Estimated PHL: 0.6%
Transport to market
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 80.19 Crop left: 80.19% 1.5 Estimated PHL: 1.5%
Wheat 91.25 Crop left: 91.25% 1.0 Estimated PHL: 1.0%
Millet 87.28 Crop left: 87.28% 1.0 Estimated PHL: 1.0%
Rice 87.10 Crop left: 87.10% 1.0 Estimated PHL: 1.0%
Market storage
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 77.54 Crop left: 77.54% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%
Wheat 89.95 Crop left: 89.95% 1.3 Estimated PHL: 1.3%
Millet 84.66 Crop left: 84.66% 2.6 Estimated PHL: 2.6%
Rice 84.45 Crop left: 84.45% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%

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