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
1699135
2012
1949897
2013
1764477
2014
1768576
2015
1691642
2016
1721911
2017
2003109
2018
2306384
2019
1539485
2020
1539485
Produced
1,012,700 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses
18.0%
/ 181,798 tonnes
Production quantity
Estimated postharvest losses
82.0482Production quantity: 1,012,700 tonnes
18.0Estimated PHL: 181,798 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
100Remaining: 100% Est. PHL: 0%
0Remaining: 100% Est. PHL: 0%
Harvesting/field drying
93.58Remaining: 93.58% Est. PHL: 6.42%
6.42Remaining: 93.58% Est. PHL: 6.42%
Further drying
89.58Remaining: 89.58% Est. PHL: 4%
4Remaining: 89.58% Est. PHL: 4%
Threshing and Shelling
88.26Remaining: 88.26% Est. PHL: 1.32%
1.32Remaining: 88.26% Est. PHL: 1.32%
Transport from field
85.89849Remaining: 85.89849% Est. PHL: 2.36151%
2.36151Remaining: 85.89849% Est. PHL: 2.36151%
Household-level storage
80.68895Remaining: 80.68895% Est. PHL: 5.20954%
5.20954Remaining: 80.68895% Est. PHL: 5.20954%
Transport to market
80.68895Remaining: 80.68895% Est. PHL: 0%
0Remaining: 80.68895% Est. PHL: 0%
Market storage
80.68895Remaining: 80.68895% Est. PHL: 0%
0Remaining: 80.68895% Est. PHL: 0%
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 maize that was lost postharvest, and what % of the focal group of the population this number equates to.