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
8878456
2012
8694900
2013
7886259
2014
10901600
2015
9540190
2016
7886259
2017
7886259
2018
7886259
2019
12599040
2020
12403300
Produced
8,878,456 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses
18.0%
/ 1,596,316 tonnes
Production quantity
Estimated postharvest losses
82.0203Production quantity: 8,878,456 tonnes
18.0Estimated PHL: 1,596,316 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
93.32979Remaining: 93.32979% Est. PHL: 6.67021%
6.67021Remaining: 93.32979% Est. PHL: 6.67021%
Further drying
89.32979Remaining: 89.32979% Est. PHL: 4%
4Remaining: 89.32979% Est. PHL: 4%
Threshing and Shelling
88.00979Remaining: 88.00979% Est. PHL: 1.32%
1.32Remaining: 88.00979% Est. PHL: 1.32%
Transport from field
85.63801Remaining: 85.63801% Est. PHL: 2.37178%
2.37178Remaining: 85.63801% Est. PHL: 2.37178%
Household-level storage
80.66032Remaining: 80.66032% Est. PHL: 4.97769%
4.97769Remaining: 80.66032% Est. PHL: 4.97769%
Transport to market
80.66032Remaining: 80.66032% Est. PHL: 0%
0Remaining: 80.66032% Est. PHL: 0%
Market storage
80.66032Remaining: 80.66032% Est. PHL: 0%
0Remaining: 80.66032% Est. PHL: 0%
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.