Estimate harvest losses from pre-harvest, harvesting, and post-harvest handling to identify where to improve efficiency.
Estimate harvest losses from pre-harvest, harvesting, and post-harvest handling to identify where to improve efficiency. Get instant, accurate results for your farm.
Enter potential yield (kg/ha or tons/ha), then estimated loss percentage at each stage: pre-harvest, harvest, transport, and storage. Click calculate to see yield after each stage, final yield, total loss amount, and total loss percentage.
The harvest loss calculator quantifies crop losses at each stage: pre-harvest (pest/disease/weather), harvest (combine/mechanical losses), transport (spillage/damage), and storage (pest/spoilage). Understanding where losses occur helps you target improvements and maximize the amount of crop that reaches market.
A: Combine harvest losses: cereals 1-3% (properly adjusted), soybeans 2-5%, corn 1-3%, rice 2-5%. Pre-harvest losses (pest/disease/weather): 5-20% depending on management. Storage losses: 2-10% for cereals (proper drying), up to 30%+ with poor storage. Total post-harvest losses in developing countries often reach 30-40% for perishable crops.
A: Reduce combine losses by: proper machine adjustment (concave clearance, fan speed, rotor speed), matching ground speed to crop conditions, checking behind the combine for unharvested grain, harvesting at correct moisture (cereals 12-14%, soybeans 12-13%), maintaining sharp cutter bars, and using harvest loss pans to measure losses. Even 1% loss on a 5 ton/ha wheat crop = 50 kg/ha left in the field.
A: Proper storage prevents losses from insects, rodents, mold, and moisture. Key steps: dry grain to safe moisture (cereals <13%, pulses <12%, oilseeds <8-10%), clean grain before storage, use hermetic/airtight storage (metal silos, Purdue Improved Crop Storage bags), monitor temperature and moisture regularly, and fumigate only when necessary. Good storage can reduce losses from 20-30% to under 2%.