Ghana, All cereals, 2022

In 2022, Ghana's annual estimated postharvest losses were 276,568 tonnes for maize, 50,826 tonnes for rice, 35,347 tonnes for sorghum, 19,018 tonnes for millet. The highest and lowest estimated postharvest loss percentages are 18.0% for maize and 11.2% for millet.

Within the value chain, for all crops the majority of loss is estimated to be happening at harvesting/field drying. Within Ghana, the highest postharvest losses in tonnes occur for maize in Brong Ahafo, for rice in Northern, for sorghum in Upper West, for millet in Northern. Regarding the nutritional losses, the estimated maize grain lost postharvest could have met the annual energy (kcal) dietary requirements of 1,129,870 people.

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

APHLIS postharvest loss estimates in Ghana in 2022

Top 4 crops with the highest production quantity in tonnes.

Maize Rice Sorghum Millet
Production quantity in tonnes 1,539,485 tonnes 428,075 tonnes 284,935 tonnes 170,475 tonnes
Loss % 18.0% 11.9% 12.4% 11.2%
Losses in tonnes 276,568 tonnes 50,826 tonnes 35,347 tonnes 19,018 tonnes
Financial value – – – –
% of national agricultural GDP – – – –
# of people whose annual energy (kcal) requirements could have been met by the lost crop 1,129,870 people 207,640 people 142,336 people 81,033 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 93.58 Crop left: 93.58% 6.4 Estimated PHL: 6.4%
Rice 95.60 Crop left: 95.60% 4.4 Estimated PHL: 4.4%
Sorghum 95.45 Crop left: 95.45% 4.6 Estimated PHL: 4.6%
Millet 96.50 Crop left: 96.50% 3.5 Estimated PHL: 3.5%
Further drying
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 89.58 Crop left: 89.58% 4.0 Estimated PHL: 4.0%
Rice 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
Millet 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 88.26 Crop left: 88.26% 1.3 Estimated PHL: 1.3%
Rice 92.46 Crop left: 92.46% 3.1 Estimated PHL: 3.1%
Sorghum 91.85 Crop left: 91.85% 3.6 Estimated PHL: 3.6%
Millet 94.50 Crop left: 94.50% 2.0 Estimated PHL: 2.0%
Winnowing
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 0 No data for this crop 0 No data for this crop
Rice 89.96 Crop left: 89.96% 2.5 Estimated PHL: 2.5%
Sorghum 91.85 Crop left: 91.85% 0.0 Estimated PHL: 0.0%
Millet 92.00 Crop left: 92.00% 2.5 Estimated PHL: 2.5%
Transport from field
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 85.90 Crop left: 85.90% 2.4 Estimated PHL: 2.4%
Rice 88.71 Crop left: 88.71% 1.3 Estimated PHL: 1.3%
Sorghum 89.68 Crop left: 89.68% 2.2 Estimated PHL: 2.2%
Millet 89.50 Crop left: 89.50% 2.5 Estimated PHL: 2.5%
Household-level storage
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 80.67 Crop left: 80.67% 5.2 Estimated PHL: 5.2%
Rice 87.56 Crop left: 87.56% 1.2 Estimated PHL: 1.2%
Sorghum 86.99 Crop left: 86.99% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%
Millet 88.33 Crop left: 88.33% 1.2 Estimated PHL: 1.2%
Transport to market
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 80.67 Crop left: 80.67% 0.0 Estimated PHL: 0.0%
Rice 87.56 Crop left: 87.56% 0.0 Estimated PHL: 0.0%
Sorghum 86.99 Crop left: 86.99% 0.0 Estimated PHL: 0.0%
Millet 88.33 Crop left: 88.33% 0.0 Estimated PHL: 0.0%
Market storage
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 80.67 Crop left: 80.67% 0.0 Estimated PHL: 0.0%
Rice 87.56 Crop left: 87.56% 0.0 Estimated PHL: 0.0%
Sorghum 86.99 Crop left: 86.99% 0.0 Estimated PHL: 0.0%
Millet 88.33 Crop left: 88.33% 0.0 Estimated PHL: 0.0%

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