South Africa, Sorghum, 2018

South Africa's estimated postharvest losses for sorghum in 2018 was 10,738 tonnes or 5.0%.

As for nutrition 39 billion kcal were lost, which is the equivalent of more than 43 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, Market storage, and then Transport to market. Highest estimated postharvest maize losses in tonnes were estimated to occur in Free State.

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 155270
2012 135770
2013 147470
2014 215887
2015 215887
2016 215887
2017 215887
2018 215887
2019 215887
2020 215887
Produced 215,887 tonnes
Estimated postharvest losses 5.0% / 10,738 tonnes
Production quantity Estimated postharvest losses
95.02589 Production quantity: 215,887 tonnes 5.0 Estimated PHL: 10,738 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 97.25 Remaining: 97.25%
Est. PHL: 2.75% 		2.75 Remaining: 97.25%
Est. PHL: 2.75%
Household-level storage 97.25 Remaining: 97.25%
Est. PHL: 0% 		0 Remaining: 97.25%
Est. PHL: 0%
Transport to market 96.25 Remaining: 96.25%
Est. PHL: 1% 		1 Remaining: 96.25%
Est. PHL: 1%
Market storage 94.95 Remaining: 94.95%
Est. PHL: 1.3% 		1.3 Remaining: 94.95%
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 sorghum that was lost postharvest, and what % of the focal group of the population this number equates to.

Total number

43,853

people, 0.1%

Children 1-3

108,909

children, 3.2%

Pregnant women 19-30

39,422

women, 19.4%

Men 31-50

34,899

men, 0.5%

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