South Africa, Wheat, 2022

South Africa's estimated postharvest losses for wheat in 2022 was 11,404 tonnes or 4.3%.

As for nutrition 37 billion kcal were lost, which is the equivalent of more than 42 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 Market storage. Highest estimated postharvest maize losses in tonnes were estimated to occur in Western Cape.

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 1850
2012 1915310
2013 1804450
2014 267392
2015 267392
2016 267392
2017 267392
2018 267392
2019 267392
2020 267392
Produced 267,392 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses 4.3% / 11,404 tonnes
Production quantity Estimated postharvest losses
95.73521 Production quantity: 267,392 tonnes 4.3 Estimated PHL: 11,404 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 100 Remaining: 100%
Est. PHL: 0% 		0 Remaining: 100%
Est. PHL: 0%
Harvesting/field drying 98 Remaining: 98%
Est. PHL: 2% 		2 Remaining: 98%
Est. PHL: 2%
Household-level storage 94.13606 Remaining: 94.13606%
Est. PHL: 3.86394% 		3.86394 Remaining: 94.13606%
Est. PHL: 3.86394%
Transport to market 93.13606 Remaining: 93.13606%
Est. PHL: 1% 		1 Remaining: 93.13606%
Est. PHL: 1%
Market storage 91.83606 Remaining: 91.83606%
Est. PHL: 1.3% 		1.3 Remaining: 91.83606%
Est. PHL: 1.3%

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 wheat that was lost postharvest, and what % of the focal group of the population this number equates to.

Total number

42,232

people, 0.1%

Children 1-3

104,883

children, 3.1%

Pregnant women 19-30

37,964

women, 18.7%

Men 31-50

33,609

men, 0.4%

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