Zimbabwe, Sorghum, 2009

Zimbabwe's estimated postharvest losses for sorghum in 2009 was 22,109 tonnes or 12.2%.

As for nutrition 80 billion kcal were lost, which is the equivalent of more than 95 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 Harvesting/field drying, Threshing and Shelling, and then Market storage. Highest estimated postharvest maize losses in tonnes were estimated to occur in Masvingo.

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 94789
2012 64793
2013 69362
2014 133212
2015 39746
2016 36305
2017 182012
2018 77514
2019 40215
2020 103682
Produced 181,964 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses 12.2% / 22,109 tonnes
Production quantity Estimated postharvest losses
87.8499 Production quantity: 181,964 tonnes 12.2 Estimated PHL: 22,109 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 95.45 Remaining: 95.45%
Est. PHL: 4.55% 		4.55 Remaining: 95.45%
Est. PHL: 4.55%
Threshing and Shelling 91.85 Remaining: 91.85%
Est. PHL: 3.6% 		3.6 Remaining: 91.85%
Est. PHL: 3.6%
Winnowing 91.85 Remaining: 91.85%
Est. PHL: 0% 		0 Remaining: 91.85%
Est. PHL: 0%
Transport from field 89.68333 Remaining: 89.68333%
Est. PHL: 2.16667% 		2.16667 Remaining: 89.68333%
Est. PHL: 2.16667%
Household-level storage 87.36828 Remaining: 87.36828%
Est. PHL: 2.31505% 		2.31505 Remaining: 87.36828%
Est. PHL: 2.31505%
Transport to market 86.36828 Remaining: 86.36828%
Est. PHL: 1% 		1 Remaining: 86.36828%
Est. PHL: 1%
Market storage 83.71828 Remaining: 83.71828%
Est. PHL: 2.65% 		2.65 Remaining: 83.71828%
Est. PHL: 2.65%

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

Total number

95,904

people, 0.6%

Children 1-3

224,227

children, 14.6%

Pregnant women 19-30

81,163

women, 102.7%

Men 31-50

71,852

men, 4.3%

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