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
3243399
2012
3766160
2013
3134722
2014
3134722
2015
3134722
2016
3134722
2017
3134722
2018
3134722
2019
3961053
2020
3619374
Produced
3,134,722 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses
17.4%
/ 544,179 tonnes
Production quantity
Estimated postharvest losses
82.6403Production quantity: 3,134,722 tonnes
17.4Estimated PHL: 544,179 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
85.88601Remaining: 85.88601% Est. PHL: 2.37399%
2.37399Remaining: 85.88601% Est. PHL: 2.37399%
Household-level storage
80.96229Remaining: 80.96229% Est. PHL: 4.92372%
4.92372Remaining: 80.96229% Est. PHL: 4.92372%
Transport to market
79.31229Remaining: 79.31229% Est. PHL: 1.65%
1.65Remaining: 79.31229% Est. PHL: 1.65%
Market storage
76.66229Remaining: 76.66229% Est. PHL: 2.65%
2.65Remaining: 76.66229% 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.