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
1892655
2012
1938043
2013
1986099
2014
2035345
2015
2039008
2016
2078179
2017
2186318
2018
2186055
2019
2138962
2020
1592911
Produced
1,155,260 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses
17.2%
/ 198,822 tonnes
Production quantity
Estimated postharvest losses
82.7898Production quantity: 1,155,260 tonnes
17.2Estimated PHL: 198,822 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
85.90286Remaining: 85.90286% Est. PHL: 2.35714%
2.35714Remaining: 85.90286% Est. PHL: 2.35714%
Household-level storage
80.63911Remaining: 80.63911% Est. PHL: 5.26375%
5.26375Remaining: 80.63911% Est. PHL: 5.26375%
Transport to market
78.98911Remaining: 78.98911% Est. PHL: 1.65%
1.65Remaining: 78.98911% Est. PHL: 1.65%
Market storage
76.33911Remaining: 76.33911% Est. PHL: 2.65%
2.65Remaining: 76.33911% 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 maize that was lost postharvest, and what % of the focal group of the population this number equates to.