Reducing On-Farm Food Losses
In the OIC Member Countries
72
the farmer or the buyer. One crate sells for 30 Egyptian pounds (1.5 EP per kg), which is equal
to US$0.20 per kg.
For four of the farms, there are four collection periods for every season (one per week therefore
one month of harvesting). First harvest losses are 0-5%, second harvest losses are from 5-10%,
third are 5-15%, and fourth range from 20-30%. There is an average of 15% on-farm losses in
the form of discards at the time of harvesting. On a fifth farm, the leaves were not enough to
cover and protect fruits from heat, so there was 30% losses due to sunburn, and the farmer was
able to harvest only twice out of four times in August. The farmers face several options including:
 Trader buys the whole season of 4 harvests and harvests himself; most common.
 Trader buys individual harvest; farmer has to take care of the rest.
 Farmer takes care of harvest and sales.
In the first two options, the farmer leaves the sorting and grading to the trader. In the third
option, the farmer does the sorting and trains the workers to remove unmarketable fruits. The
local wholesale market is about 10 km from the farms, which is about 30 minutes by road.
Taking a conservative estimate of on-farm losses of 15-20%, and an annual production volume
of 8.5 million tonnes, Egyptian growers lose 1.28-2.17 million tonnes of tomatoes per year. At a
market value of US $200 per tonne, total economic losses for tomato farmers is approximately
US$255-$340 million in lost earning per year.
Table 3.13: Summary of Volumes and Market Value of On-farm Losses of Tomatoes in Egypt
Total Volume
Produced per
Annum
Conservative
Estimates of
On-Farm Losses
Losses in
Volume
(Tonnes)
Market
Value per
Tonne
Losses in Value per
Tonne
8.5 Million Tonnes
($1.7 billion)
15% 1,275,000 $200 $255 million
20% 2,170,000 $200 $340 million
Source: Site Visits
Tomatoes have a food value of 180 kilocalories per kg, plus many vitamins and minerals. The
loss in food value is approximately 230.4 billion kilocalories. This amount could feed 250,000
persons for a full year at 2500 kcal/day.
3.5.3. Causes of On-Farm Losses
There were several major causes of on-farm losses observed and reported. According to the
farmers interviewed, these causes include:
 High temperatures affect flowering and fruit because it damages the reproductive
organs, and the pollen grains die so flowers drop.
 High temperatures increase insect activity and therefore virus and diseases, causing
farmers to apply pesticides every day.
 Flowers and fruits are sunburned and die.
 Low temperatures inhibit growth of transplant; strong winter winds affect production.