Zimbabwe, Maize, 2016

Zimbabwe's estimated postharvest losses for maize in 2016 was 130,635 tonnes or 18.4% which had an estimated value of more than 50 million US dollar, which corresponds to 3.1% of national agricultural GDP.

As for nutrition 453 billion kcal were lost, which is the equivalent of more than 538 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 Household-level storage, Harvesting/field drying, and then Further drying. Highest estimated postharvest maize losses in tonnes were estimated to occur in Mashonaland West.

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 1648859
2012 1165271
2013 969992
2014 1634738
2015 939456
2016 709046
2017 2352756
2018 1897932
2019 973865
2020 1104859
Produced 709,046 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses 18.4% / 130,635 tonnes / > 50 million USD
Production quantity Estimated postharvest losses
81.576 Production quantity: 709,046 tonnes 18.4 Estimated PHL: 130,635 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 94.31491 Remaining: 94.31491%
Est. PHL: 5.68509%
5.68509 Remaining: 94.31491%
Est. PHL: 5.68509%
Further drying 90.4568 Remaining: 90.4568%
Est. PHL: 3.85811%
3.85811 Remaining: 90.4568%
Est. PHL: 3.85811%
Threshing and Shelling 88.87189 Remaining: 88.87189%
Est. PHL: 1.58491%
1.58491 Remaining: 88.87189%
Est. PHL: 1.58491%
Transport from field 86.6014 Remaining: 86.6014%
Est. PHL: 2.27049%
2.27049 Remaining: 86.6014%
Est. PHL: 2.27049%
Household-level storage 79.56556 Remaining: 79.56556%
Est. PHL: 7.03584%
7.03584 Remaining: 79.56556%
Est. PHL: 7.03584%
Transport to market 78.22455 Remaining: 78.22455%
Est. PHL: 1.34101%
1.34101 Remaining: 78.22455%
Est. PHL: 1.34101%
Market storage 75.57455 Remaining: 75.57455%
Est. PHL: 2.65%
2.65 Remaining: 75.57455%
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

538,730

people, 3.2%


Children 1-3

1,259,561

children, 82.2%


Pregnant women 19-30

455,921

women, 576.8%


Men 31-50

403,616

men, 24.1%

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