Malawi, All cereals, 2022

In 2022, Malawi's annual estimated postharvest losses were 632,860 tonnes for maize, 18,155 tonnes for rice, 12,502 tonnes for sorghum, 4,664 tonnes for millet. The highest and lowest estimated postharvest loss percentages are 17.0% for maize and 10.7% for sorghum.

Within the value chain, for all crops the majority of loss is estimated to be happening at harvesting/field drying. Within Malawi, the highest postharvest losses in tonnes occur for maize in Central Region, for rice in Southern Region, for sorghum in Southern Region, for millet in Southern Region. Regarding the nutritional losses, the estimated maize grain lost postharvest could have met the annual energy (kcal) dietary requirements of 2,638,361 people.

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

APHLIS postharvest loss estimates in Malawi in 2022

Top 4 crops with the highest production quantity in tonnes.

Maize Rice Sorghum Millet
Production quantity in tonnes 3,716,479 tonnes 136,083 tonnes 116,918 tonnes 41,071 tonnes
Loss % 17.0% 13.3% 10.7% 11.4%
Losses in tonnes 632,860 tonnes 18,155 tonnes 12,502 tonnes 4,664 tonnes
Financial value – – – –
% of national agricultural GDP – – – –
# of people whose annual energy (kcal) requirements could have been met by the lost crop 2,638,361 people 75,688 people 54,824 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 93.69 Crop left: 93.69% 6.3 Estimated PHL: 6.3%
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 89.71 Crop left: 89.71% 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 88.35 Crop left: 88.35% 1.4 Estimated PHL: 1.4%
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 85.98 Crop left: 85.98% 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 81.77 Crop left: 81.77% 4.2 Estimated PHL: 4.2%
Rice 88.58 Crop left: 88.58% 0.1 Estimated PHL: 0.1%
Sorghum 89.68 Crop left: 89.68% 0.0 Estimated PHL: 0.0%
Millet 88.88 Crop left: 88.88% 0.6 Estimated PHL: 0.6%
Transport to market
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 80.13 Crop left: 80.13% 1.6 Estimated PHL: 1.6%
Rice 87.58 Crop left: 87.58% 1.0 Estimated PHL: 1.0%
Sorghum 88.68 Crop left: 88.68% 1.0 Estimated PHL: 1.0%
Millet 87.88 Crop left: 87.88% 1.0 Estimated PHL: 1.0%
Market storage
Crop Estimated % of crop left Estimated % of crop lost
Maize 77.48 Crop left: 77.48% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%
Rice 84.93 Crop left: 84.93% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%
Sorghum 86.03 Crop left: 86.03% 2.7 Estimated PHL: 2.7%
Millet 85.23 Crop left: 85.23% 2.6 Estimated PHL: 2.6%

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